Pre-trial hearing in Trump civil case leads judge to ‘literally’ pound the bench

Donald Trump's next

trial

will begin in just 10 days. New York Attorney General Leticia James's

civil

fraud

trial

against Donald Trump is scheduled for October 2, but today Donald Trump's lawyers made a last-ditch effort to avoid going to court. The lawsuit accuses Donald Trump, his two oldest children and their business of committing fraud by overstating the value of his properties by up to $2.2 billion in just one year. In court today the Attorney General's Office called for summary judgment against Donald Trump as they seek $250 million in sanctions and limits on the Trump family's ability to conduct business. Trump's attorney, Chris Case, argued today that the

case

should be dismissed because to the subjective nature of business valuations, telling the court citation that I may think my house is worth 5 million and you may think it is worth five cents

case

accused Attorney General James of subpoena Prosecute defendants for engaging in business transactions successful joining us now is Adam Classfeld senior legal correspondent for the Messenger So Adam, did the

judge

make a decision today?

The

judge

hasn't issued a ruling, but if I were Trump's lawyers right now I wouldn't be happy with the way things went, Justice and Goron was palpably frustrated at one point in the

hearing

,

literally

physically hitting the

bench

saying that you cannot make false statements and use them in business there is another motion before Justice and Goran right now and that is a sanctions motion filed by the New York attorney general essentially alleging that Trump's lawyers continue to present arguments that the court rejected now he hasn't ruled on that motion either, but he ended the day's oral arguments by indicating that he agrees with the premise of that question, he even said very loudly at one point, uh, you were warned, so that it was a shot against LeBeau, we don't know how he's going to decide. and we'll find out on Tuesday of next week, but it didn't go well based on those final moments alone, the judge has been offered two big options: Trump is responsible, no trial needed, eh, or throw him out, did you seem more persuaded by any argument?

The request to New York Attorney General Leticia James is for a ruling on summary judgment on the first count of fraud. Now that would be a huge victory. It is very difficult to prevail on a motion for summary judgment and avoid a trial on that charge. If she wins, there will still be a trial on the other charges, she brought the other causes of action, but it would be a very simplified trial and it would be a huge victory, if Trump's lawyers prevail and from the tenor of the arguments I think it is a possibility remote, then there would be no trial.

There's another issue here where Trump has an appeal pending before the First Circuit and he's looking for Lifeline there and Adam talks about last-minute efforts. What do we know about the status of the lawsuit? uh Trump recently filed a lawsuit against the judge overseeing this case. Could that delay the start of the trial? Could potentially the first department has issued a stay now the first Department can rule uh before the stay is applicable and the Attorney General's office has argued that They should not keep that pause in the process because it would wreak havoc on their words, the schedule of really crowded courtrooms that a president has.

I mean, look at all the criminal cases we have starting early next year. It's going to be a long trial that could last months and they don't want the first department to intervene, the court of appeals, thank you