Connecticut’s Supreme Court rejected Alex Jones’s appeal of a $1.4 billion defamation verdict, dealing another significant blow to the controversial media personality who falsely claimed the Sandy Hook massacre was staged.
At a Glance
- Connecticut Supreme Court declined to hear Alex Jones’s appeal of a $1.4 billion defamation verdict awarded to Sandy Hook families
- Jones was sanctioned in the original trial for failing to comply with court orders to provide financial documents
- A state appellate court previously reduced the award by $150 million but upheld most of the verdict
- Jones has filed for bankruptcy protection while legal battles continue over his and Infowars’ assets
- A U.S. Supreme Court appeal remains a possibility for Jones
Court Rejects Appeal, Upholding Massive Verdict
The Connecticut Supreme Court has declined to hear Alex Jones’s appeal against a $1.4 billion defamation verdict related to his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
This decision effectively upholds the substantial financial penalty imposed on Jones, who repeatedly claimed on his Infowars platform that the massacre, which claimed 26 lives including 20 children, was a staged event. The damages were awarded after a 2022 trial where Jones had been found liable by default for failing to comply with pretrial discovery orders requiring him to provide financial documents.
Jones’s attorney, Jay Wolman, argued that the sanctions imposed by the trial court were excessive and denied Jones a fair trial. According to court documents, Wolman contended that the original ruling inappropriately established Jones’s liability without requiring the plaintiffs to prove key elements of their defamation claims.
The state Appellate Court had previously upheld most of the massive award in December, though it did reduce the total by approximately $150 million.
Alex Jones is trending in the United Kingdom because the Connecticut Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal against a $1.4 billion defamation verdict.
The ruling stemmed from his false claims that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax.
As a result, the… pic.twitter.com/HFIgETXHI1
— Global Info 247 (@global_info247) April 10, 2025
Legal Arguments and Constitutional Questions
In his appeal, Jones raised significant constitutional questions regarding free speech protections and the severity of the sanctions imposed. His legal team argued that the court’s “death penalty sanctions” effectively prevented Jones from defending himself on key elements of the defamation claims. “The sanctions imposed here impermissibly excused (Sandy Hook families) from having to plead and prove that Jones published specific statements subjectively knowing them to be false or having subjective serious doubts as to their truth; rather the sanctions declared all of these to have been affirmatively established,” Wolman stated in court filings.
“The trial court entered ‘death penalty sanctions’ judicially decreeing Jones liable to all (Sandy Hook families who sued him) for all claims,” says Jones’ attorney, Jay Wolman.
The families’ legal representation, led by attorney Chris Mattei, had indicated they would “oppose” Jones’s petition to the Supreme Court. With the state Supreme Court’s decision to reject the appeal, the families’ attorney noted that this helps hold Jones accountable and allows collection proceedings to move forward. Jones has since acknowledged on record that the Sandy Hook shooting was “100% real,” though this admission came after years of harmful claims that subjected the bereaved families to harassment and threats from some of his followers.
Bankruptcy Proceedings and Potential Next Steps
Jones filed for personal bankruptcy protection in late 2022 in response to the massive financial judgments against him. His bankruptcy proceedings are reportedly nearing completion, with a federal judge expected to approve settlements for the Sandy Hook families. These proceedings have complicated the families’ efforts to collect on the court-ordered damages, as Jones’s financial affairs come under scrutiny in bankruptcy court. Plans are underway to potentially sell Jones’s Infowars platform, though a previous attempt was rejected by the judge for insufficient financial offers.
Despite the setback in Connecticut, Jones still has legal options available. Most notably, he could file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, which would represent his final avenue for challenging the verdict. Jones is also appealing a separate Texas verdict that ordered him to pay nearly $50 million to two other Sandy Hook parents in a similar defamation case. On his Infowars program, Jones expressed frustration about the Connecticut Supreme Court’s decision to reject his appeal, underscoring the ongoing tensions in this high-profile legal battle.
