Former President Donald Trump filed court papers on Wednesday amid a New York fraud trial.
Attorneys for Donald Trump on Oct. 4 filed an appeal of a New York judge’s summary judgment ruling that the former president’s business fraudulently inflated the value of several properties as well as his net worth.
The former president made his appeal to New York’s Appellate Division, in the midst of a civil trial in the case that was brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. In August, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that the former president fraudulently inflated the value of his properties, including Mar-a-Lago, which the former president has vigorously denied in court this week.
The judge, who last year publicly described President Trump as “a bad guy,” also ordered the cancellation of certificates that let some of President Trump’s businesses, including the Trump Organization, operate in New York.
Ms. James, a Democrat, is seeking at least $250 million in damages. She also wants the former president banned from running businesses in New York, as well as a five-year commercial real estate ban for President Trump and the Trump Organization.
However, the former president, his sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., and others filed a notice of appeal to the Appellate Division, which is the second highest court in New York state.
“This appeal is taken from each and every part of the Order insofar as Appellants are aggrieved,” the filing states.
On Oct. 3, Judge Engoron told the courtroom that he believes it’s likely that President Trump and the other co-defendants “strongly disagree on” parts of his ruling “and will appeal on this ground.”
“This trial is not an opportunity to relitigate what I have already decided. … that is why we have appeals,” the judge said.
The former president has notably appeared in court this week, often speaking to reporters outside the courtroom. On the morning of Oct. 4, he disputed the judge’s claims about his net worth and said “my real net worth is much higher than that, much higher than the statement.”
