Hunter Biden has made an urgent appeal to a federal judge, asking that a high-profile lawsuit against a former Trump aide be dismissed, citing significant financial hardships that make continuing the litigation untenable. The request, filed Wednesday in a California federal court, highlights the mounting pressures on Biden amid a series of personal, financial, and legal challenges.
Biden’s legal team formally petitioned U.S. District Judge Hernan D. Vera to end the 2023 lawsuit against Garrett Ziegler, alleging that continuing the case is no longer feasible due to a steep decline in his income and growing debts that now amount to millions of dollars. In their filing, his attorneys also pointed to external hardships, including wildfires in the Pacific Palisades that left his rental home uninhabitable for months, further exacerbating his financial instability.
“This is not merely a question of legal strategy,” Biden’s lawyers wrote, “but of urgent necessity, as Mr. Biden’s financial and personal circumstances demand immediate attention.” The filing underscores the broader context in which the legal action exists—a beleaguered figure struggling to meet both professional obligations and personal responsibilities amid public scrutiny.
Background of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit originated in September 2023 when Hunter Biden filed a complaint against Garrett Ziegler and his company, Marco Polo. The suit alleges that Ziegler and his associates sought to create a searchable online database containing roughly 128,000 emails purportedly belonging to Biden. These emails, said to have come from a laptop at the center of prior controversy, have been the focus of intense media coverage and political debate.
Ziegler, a former assistant to Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro from 2019 to 2021, previously requested dismissal of the case, a motion denied by the presiding judge. The legal battle quickly drew attention in political and media circles, with critics labeling the lawsuit “frivolous,” while supporters contended it sought to safeguard sensitive material from public exploitation.
Financial Constraints and Legal Strategy
In their latest court documents, Biden’s attorneys emphasized that his financial situation had deteriorated to the point that continuing litigation was no longer viable. The filing detailed millions in outstanding debts and a dramatic drop in income compared to previous years. According to the attorneys, these financial pressures extend beyond legal costs and are compounded by external circumstances such as the prolonged displacement caused by wildfires in Pacific Palisades, which left Biden without stable housing.
“These extraordinary challenges have rendered the pursuit of litigation impractical,” the filing states, noting that Biden must now focus on securing housing, supporting his family, and stabilizing his finances. His legal team argues that time and resources should be devoted to these pressing matters rather than extended court proceedings.
Declining Income from Art and Book Sales
A central aspect of Hunter Biden’s financial troubles is the steep decline in earnings from his creative work. Historically, he derived a substantial portion of his income from art sales and his memoir. Over two to three years before the lawsuit, he sold 27 pieces of art at an average of approximately $54,500 per piece. Since the lawsuit’s inception, however, art sales have plummeted, with only a single piece selling for around $36,000—a decline that has significantly reduced his revenue stream and heightened his financial strain.
The filing paints a portrait of a figure contending with the intersecting pressures of legal battles, personal loss, and economic uncertainty, offering the court a rationale for halting litigation that his team argues is no longer sustainable.
About the Author
