Donald Trump's attempt to have his civil trial for fraud delayed was rejected by an appeals court Thursday, the Associated Press reported.
The trial, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James is now set to begin on Oct. 2. The non-jury trial will be presided over by Judge Arthur Engoron.
" Trump is listed among dozens of possible witnesses, setting up a potential courtroom showdown with the judge. The fraud ruling Tuesday threatens to upend his real estate empire and force him to give up prized New York properties such as Trump Tower, a Wall Street office building, golf courses and a suburban estate," the AP's report stated.
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Trump's legal team has argued that Engoron had failed to follow a June order from an appeals court that he narrows the scope of the trial because some charges were outside the statute of limitation, the AP reported. The lawyers challenged his judicial authority, and asked that the trial be delayed until the challenge was resolved.
Earlier this week, the judge entered a partial summary judgment that found Trump liable for fraudulently manipulating the value of his assets. His lawyers have argued there's little point in the trial now that that significant aspect of it has been decided.
Read the full report over at the Associated Press.
