Former President Donald Trump has falsely claimed that he was required to post a bond in order to appeal a $454 million civil fraud judgment against him. He also falsely claimed that Judge Arthur Engoron did something unusual in forcing him to post a bond during the appeal process. In reality, Trump began the appeal process in February, more than a month before he posted the bond. The requirement to post a bond to prevent collection during the appeal process is standard under New York state law and is regularly applied in civil cases in the state.
On social media, Trump accused Judge Engoron of being biased, crooked, and corrupt for requiring him to pay in order to appeal the judgment. Trump claimed that this requirement was a first and unfair. However, legal experts have confirmed that this is the standard procedure in New York courts for civil cases. Trump’s claims that Judge Engoron is corrupt have no basis in evidence. In reality, Trump was not treated any differently than any other party in a civil case would have been in a similar situation.
Trump’s lawyers had initially struggled to secure a bond for the full amount of the judgment. However, a New York appeals court later decided that Trump could put up a lower amount of $175 million. While this reduction in the bond amount was unusual, it was not unprecedented. Had Trump not posted a bond and the New York Attorney General collected on the judgment, any money collected would have been returned to Trump with interest if he eventually won the case on appeal. Trump’s repeated claims about the injustice of having to post a bond before appealing are unfounded and misinformed.
Legal experts have emphasized that the requirement to post a bond to prevent collection during an appeal is a standard practice in New York civil cases. Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice, explained that this rule is applied every day in New York courts, regardless of the size of the judgment. Trump’s claims that he is being treated unfairly or that Judge Engoron is corrupt have been debunked by legal professionals familiar with New York state law. Despite Trump’s insistence on social media, there is no evidence to support his assertions.
Ultimately, Trump’s claims about having to pay in order to appeal the civil fraud judgment against him in New York are false. The requirement to post a bond during the appeal process is standard practice in the state and is not unique to Trump’s case. Legal experts have refuted Trump’s claims of bias, corruption, and unfair treatment by Judge Engoron. The reduction in the bond amount required to prevent collection during the appeal was considered unusual but not unprecedented. Trump’s continued attempts to portray himself as a victim of injustice in this matter have been discredited by experts familiar with New York state law.
