New York court assigns new judge in Trump civil fraud case stemming from AG Letitia James’ probe

In a recent development, a new judge has been assigned to preside over the civil fraud case against President-elect Trump brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. This decision comes after Judge Arthur Engoron, who was overseeing the case, was accused of bias against Trump, his family, and his company by Trump allies.

The new judge assigned to the case is New York County Supreme Court Justice Judith McMahon of Staten Island. Justice McMahon will replace Judge Engoron for further proceedings once the appeals court reaches its decision on the case, which is currently pending on appeal.

The civil fraud trial, which began in October 2023, saw Judge Engoron ruling that Trump and the defendants were liable for various charges including fraud, falsifying business records, issuing false financial statements, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and more. The trial was a result of a summary judgment issued against Trump by Judge Engoron before the trial began.

During the trial, Judge Engoron allowed the value of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property to be listed at $18 million, a valuation that Trump disputes. Real estate insiders and developers argued that the property could be worth over $300 million, significantly more than the value determined by Judge Engoron.

In his ruling last year, Judge Engoron criticized Trump for his behavior during the trial, stating that he rarely responded to questions directly and often went off-topic with irrelevant speeches. Trump, his allies, Republicans, and legal experts criticized Judge Engoron for his handling of the case, especially since he has exclusively donated to Democrats throughout his career.

Trump and his family have denied any wrongdoing, with the former president claiming that his assets were undervalued. Trump’s legal team argued that his financial statements had disclaimers and that banks should have conducted their own assessments.

The $454 million judgment against Trump is currently being appealed, with judges on the New York appeals court showing receptiveness to the possibility of reversing or reducing the judgment. Trump’s attorneys have called the ruling draconian, unlawful, and unconstitutional, pointing to violations of the statute of limitations and lack of complaints from lenders and insurers about Trump’s business practices.

Overall, the case against President-elect Trump continues to be a highly contested and closely watched legal battle, with both sides adamant in their positions. It remains to be seen how the new judge, Justice Judith McMahon, will handle the case moving forward.