‘No brainer lawyers lose again’: Trump trolled after court denies his bid to overturn judge’s gag order

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: On Thursday, December 14, 2023, a New York appellate court rejected former President Donald Trump's challenge to Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron's gag order in his civil fraud trial, per Law & Crime.

Trump filed a petition under Article 78 against Engoron in November, alleging that the judge's gag orders and fines against him and his lawyers were an abuse of authority and unconstitutional.

However, the appellate division concluded that Trump's attempt to sue Engoron was "not permitted" and that he did not use the proper legal vehicle to challenge the gag order and sanctions.

What did the New York appellate court decree?

Trump's legal team had requested leave to seek an immediate review of the gags at the New York Court of Appeals, but this was also rejected.

Consequently, Trump declined to testify at the trial on Monday, December 11, 2023.

The Supreme Court of New York’s First Appellate Department said on Thursday, “Petition pursuant to CPLR article 78 to annul and vacate four orders of Supreme Court, New York County (Arthur F. Engoron, J.) […] unanimously dismissed, without costs, as seeking review of orders not reviewable under article 78.”

The appellate division stated that Trump's Article 78 gambit seeking a writ of prohibition would have turned the normal appellate process upside-down if it were to be accepted.

“Permitting liberal use of this remedy would effectively achieve premature appellate review and undermine the statutory and constitutional regime governing the appellate process,” the order stated.

“Invoking this extraordinary remedy is only appropriate if there exists a substantial claim of an absence of jurisdiction or an act in excess of jurisdiction.”

The trial proceedings have now been adjourned until January, and the parties are expected to file supplemental briefs in the case on January 5 and return to court for oral arguments on January 11, 2024, before Engoron renders a final verdict.

What did Trump’s lawyers say on Thursday's ruling?

Trump’s lawyer Chris Kise said on Thursday, “We filed the petition because the ordinary appellate process is essentially pointless in this context as it cannot possibly be completed in time to reverse the ongoing harm.”

“Unfortunately, the decision denies President Trump the only path available to expedited relief and places his fundamental Constitutional rights in a procedural purgatory,” he added.

 

The court elucidated that “the gravity of potential harm” to Trump “is small, given that the Gag Order is narrow, limited to prohibiting solely statements regarding the court’s staff” and, in any event, Engoron’s orders are “reviewable through the ordinary appellate process.”

The trial proceedings, which spanned over 11 weeks, concluded on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.

Following the state's conclusion of the case, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) expressed her eagerness for the closing arguments scheduled in 2024.

“Today, after 11 weeks of trial, we rested our case against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization for years of financial fraud,” James said.

“While the judge already ruled in our favor and found that Donald Trump engaged in years of significant fraud and unjustly enriched himself and his family, this trial revealed the full extent of that fraud — and the defendants’ inability to disprove it. We look forward to presenting our closing argument on January 11,” she concluded.

Internet blames Trump’s lawyers for suggesting the worst legal advice to the former president

People on X criticized the actions of Trump’s legal team that always end up harming the former president in his bid to clear his name amid cascading criminal charges.

One X user said, "Trump’s no brainer lawyers lose again."

Another user remarked: "Yes!"

Another user tweeted, "They f***ed up the whole thing".

One user simply posted a meme of a frog sipping from the cup of GOP tears.

Another X user wrote, "Trump Derangement Syndrome is a bi**h ain’t it?"

Finally, this user tweeted, "Move onto the next court hahahahahahahahahahaha"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.