A New York appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments on Thursday in former President Donald Trump's attempt to have the $454 million civil fraud judgment against him dismissed. The appellate hearing comes amidst a flurry of legal proceedings for Trump, coinciding with the final stages of his presidential campaign.
In addition to the civil fraud appeal, Trump's legal team has been pushing to dismiss the guilty verdict in the New York criminal case, the federal election interference case in Washington, DC, and the E. Jean Carroll defamation verdict over the past month.
The $454 million judgment was issued by state Judge Arthur Engoron in February, who found Trump, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and his business liable for fraud, false financial statements, and false business records. Engoron determined that Trump and his co-defendants had inflated the value of Trump's assets to secure more favorable loan and insurance rates.
Trump, who is not expected to attend Thursday's hearing, posted a $175 million bond in April while the appeal is ongoing. The judgment against Trump initially amounted to $354 million, with an additional $100 million in interest that continues to accrue at a rate of nearly $112,000 per day during the appeal process.
Trump's attorneys are challenging the trial held last fall, where the former president clashed with the judge, with Engoron criticizing Trump and his co-defendants for their lack of contrition and remorse. The legal arguments put forth by Trump's lawyers include claims that the monetary penalty is unconstitutional and that the case should have been barred due to the age of the conduct.
The New York attorney general's office, which brought the case against Trump, has maintained that there is overwhelming evidence of Trump's fraudulent activities and asset inflation to obtain loans. The attorney general's office has urged the court to uphold the liability determinations based on the evidence presented.
No decision is expected before the election, and any ruling by the appeals court can still be appealed to New York's highest appellate court.
