'Real consequences': Professor says Trump's fraud judgment is bigger than it looks

Former President Donald Trump's civil judgments in New York are a big deal, NYU law professor Melissa Murray told MSNBC's Ari Melber on Friday — and there are knock-on effects even beyond the amount of money he has to pay.

Trump was held liable for $83.3 million in the defamation case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, and $464 million, including interest, in the civil fraud case brought by state Attorney General Letitia James.

"He owes this money," said Melber, himself an attorney. "If you talk to people casually about it, they say, oh, is he ever going to be held accountable. In civil cases, money is the only thing that you're held accountable for."

ALSO READ: Fresh scrutiny for Marjorie Taylor Greene after election violation

Moreover, Melber noted, "In this case ... eventually in the fraud case, he has to pay even when he wants to appeal."

"That's a good point," said Murray. "There's a lot of attention on the four criminal cases. It's worth remembering that these civil cases are also real sources of accountability. He is going to be on the hook for serious financial penalties. He's posted bonds, as you say. And there are real consequences associated with that financial loss, as well as some of the financial penalties, including limiting the business in the state of New York from that case about the overstating of his assets to the New York state regulator."

"So, these are forms of accountability," she added. "They're probably not what people are looking for in terms of accountability. But they're real and they have teeth and they stick."

Watch the video below or at the link here.

Melissa Murray explains consequences of Trump's civil judgmentswww.youtube.com