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Former President Donald Trump, left, and New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
cnn
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A New York state appeals court judge temporarily stayed the civil fraud trial involving the New York attorney general’s office and former President Donald Trump, raising questions about whether the trial will begin next month as planned. planned, according to three people familiar with the court. decision.
The appeals judge granted an emergency request from lawyers for Trump, his eldest children and the Trump Organization, who asked the appeals court to halt the litigation until Judge Arthur Engoron, the lower court judge overseeing the case, speak out on a key issue. said the people with direct knowledge of the litigation.
The appeals court judge ordered all briefs to be filed by Sept. 25, just a week before the $250 million fraud lawsuit goes to trial on Oct. 2. The start of the trial could be delayed depending on when the appeals court rules. If the lower court issue is resolved sooner and the appeals court agrees, the trial could begin on time.
“We are confident in our case and will be ready for trial,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.
In June, a New York state appeals panel ruled in favor of Trump that the statute of limitations on some of the transactions had expired if they were completed on a certain date and on another date the defendants had toll agreements. The panel ordered Engoron to “determine, if necessary, the full range of defendants bound by the toll agreement.” The appeals court dismissed Ivanka Trump from the lawsuit.
Engoron has not made that determination involving the statute of limitations.
02:56 – Source: CNN
Video of Trump’s statement released in the New York Attorney General’s civil investigation (February 2023)
Lawyers for Trump and James have asked Engoron to rule in their favor on pretrial motions. James’ office asked the judge to find that Trump’s financial statements were false and misleading. Trump’s lawyers asked the judge to dismiss the case, based largely on the statute of limitations argument. Oral arguments on those motions are scheduled for Sept. 22.
Trump’s lawyers asked Engoron to suspend the trial until he rules on the statute of limitations. That request was denied, the people said, and Trump’s lawyers later asked the appeals court to intervene and pause the case. After the oral argument, which was not noticed by the public, the judge did not agree to suspend the case, but did agree to suspend the trial.
If Engoron rules on the statute of limitations at the Sept. 22 hearing, it could potentially resolve the matter before the appeals court.
