Former President Donald Trump has been granted a temporary delay in his civil fraud lawsuit, as a New York court decided to postpone the cancellation of his business licenses in the state. This development occurred after Trump, who is a leading candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, filed an appeal earlier this week to stop the ongoing trial in New York.
The trial, which began this week, does not have a jury, but Trump himself was present. It was initiated following a surprising ruling by Judge Arthur Engoron in late September, where he found repeated instances of fraud committed by the Trump Organization. This ruling led to the order for the cancellation of business licenses owned by Trump and his two adult sons, Don Jr. and Eric.
In a decision made by a New York appeals court on Friday, Judge Peter Moulton declined to suspend the trial but did grant a temporary stay on the “order directing the cancellation of business certificates.”
This ruling signifies a short-term victory for the former president, who was facing the possibility of his real estate empire being partially dismantled after Judge Engoron’s decision in September.
During the court proceedings on Friday, Trump’s legal team and attorneys representing New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is seeking a $250 million judgment against Trump for alleged fraudulent business filings, presented their arguments. Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise, argued that dissolving the business would lead to chaos, stating, “This is everything owned or controlled by the defendant. Once you dissolve, you dissolve.”
James’ representative, Judy Vale, countered this argument, stating that there was no basis for a temporary halt in a trial that had already been underway for a week.
Trump was prominently present in the Manhattan court this week, spending nearly three days both in the courtroom and in the hallways, interacting with the press.
In response to Trump’s court appearance, James characterized it as a political stunt and fundraising opportunity. In retaliation, Trump accused the African American attorney general, who is a Democrat, of being “corrupt” and “racist.”
As the trial is set to resume next week, James expressed confidence that “justice will prevail” in the case. While this lawsuit is civil in nature, Trump is facing several other significant legal challenges in various jurisdictions, including criminal charges, all of which he has vehemently denied and pleaded not guilty to.