A New York appeals court rejected former President Trump’s bid to delay a civil trial after a judge ruled that he had committed fraud for years while building his real estate empire.
New York State Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron on Tuesday issued a summary judgement in the civil lawsuit brought by New York State Attorney General Letitia James. The Judge in the Supreme Court 1st Judicial District in New York agreed with James’ allegations that Trump and his companies, as well as his two adult sons, had committed more than 200 instances of bank, tax and insurance fraud over a 10-year period from 2011 to 2021.
Judge Engoron ordered that some of Trump’s business licenses be rescinded as punishment—making it nearly or completely impossible for the Trump Organization to continue to do business in New York State. The judge further said that an independent monitor would continue to oversee the company’s operations.
Earlier this month, Trump’s legal team had asked the state Supreme Court’s appellate division to intervene in the case, arguing that Engoron had failed to comply with an earlier appellate decision that limited the scope of the case against Trump, according to his attorneys. As part of the request, Trump asked that the trial be postponed.
On Thursday afternoon the appeals court issued a less-than two-page order that left unresolved Trump attorneys’ efforts to compel Engoron to issue certain rulings in their client’s favor because the court is still hearing arguments related to those questions.
However, the appellate court bluntly denied Trump’s request for a delay, meaning the trial remains set to go to trial in Manhattan on Monday.
The summary judgment resolved the key claim in James’ lawsuit, but the other claims remain, including the amount of damages that will be levied. The state Attorney General is suing Trump and the other defendants for $250 million in penalties and a ban on Trump doing business in his home state. The trial could last into December, according to Engoron.
Trump has denied all wrongdoing, calling James’ case a political witch hunt. In August 2022 during a deposition in James’ office, he pleaded the fifth against self-recrimination more than 400 times.
