Attorneys for Donald Trump today filed a Notice of Appeal with the New York State First Judicial Department Appellate Division seeking to overturn the verdict and $355 million civil fraud judgment against Trump, his sons Donald Jr., and Eric, his companies and others that has now accumulated an estimated $100 million in interest.
The appeals court is being asked to decide whether Judge Arthur Engoron committed errors of law and/or fact in his decision that found the parties guilty of fraud and imposed the judgment. New York Attorney General Letitia James had asked for a judgment of $350 million to be imposed on those named in the lawsuit she filed alleging fraud and falsification of business records. Engoron presided at the trial. Trump’s legal team opted to have Engoron decide the case rather than having a jury trial.
Engoron last Friday declined to delay having his decision recorded with the court system, thus starting the clock that gave Trump 30 days to file an appeal. At the same time, additional interest started to be added each day to the unpaid judgment.
On Saturday, James posted a message saying that Trump owed an additional $114,553.04 in interest since Friday. James, in an interview with ABC News, said that if Trump failed to pay the judgment or post a bond to cover what he owes she would begin the process to seize his assets.
After the verdict was rendered, Trump’s attorney Alina Habba said that if Engoron’s verdict is allowed to stand it would send a signal that New York is no longer open for business. Trump’s attorney Christopher Kise expressed confidence that an appeals court would ultimately correct what he described as innumerable and catastrophic errors made by the trial court that was not tethered to the law or reality.
