Published 12/04/23 02:53 PM ET|Updated 12/04/23 03:10 PM ET
Trump Expected to Return to New York Trial on Thursday Ahead of Testimony
The former president's courtroom attendance is voluntary, though he's scheduled to testify as the final defense witness on Dec. 11
Donald Trump is expected to be back at his New York civil fraud trial on Thursday to watch as his defense team questions its final expert witness and prepares for the former president to soon make his own return to the witness stand.
Law 360 first reported Trump's trial plans, which The Messenger confirmed from a source familiar with the matter.
Trump's return to the Manhattan state Supreme Court is voluntary. He spent several days in October watching the proceedings and delivering ad hoc remarks to a swirl of reporters stationed directly outside the courtroom where Justice Arthur Engoron is considering the fate of the former president's business empire. Those comments in turn played a major role in the gag order Engoron imposed on Trump and his lawyers.
Thursday's Trump appearance is expected to coincide with testimony from Eli Bartov, a New York University accounting professor and the final scheduled expert witness for the defense. Eric Trump, the adult son of the former president, is scheduled to take the witness stand on Wednesday.
Trump, meantime, is slated to testify on Monday, Dec. 11, as the final overall witness for the defense. After that, New York Attorney General Letitia James may begin presenting her rebuttal to the defense before wrapping up for the remainder of the year.
Written briefs are due by Jan. 5 from both sides in the case, rather than closing arguments. And a final round of oral arguments about the evidence is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2024.
https://themessenger.com/politics/trump-returning-new-york-trial-civil-fraud