Trump loses bid to stay NY fraud trial, but gets delay of business

A New York appeals court on Friday refused to stay the ongoing civil business fraud trial of Donald Trump and his company, but did halt a judge’s order to cancel the business certificates of Trump’s companies in the state.

The ruling came after Trump’s business fraud trial ended its first week of proceedings in Manhattan Supreme Court.

New York Attorney General Letitia James had opposed halting Trump’s trial pending his appeal of a judge’s pre-trial ruling that he was liable for business fraud in the case. But she did not oppose Trump’s request that the judge’s related ruling, which cancelled an array of corporate business certificates, be stayed pending the outcome of the appeal.

The ongoing trial is dealing with James’s $250 million lawsuit against Trump, the Trump Organization, his two adult sons, and top company executives.

Christopher Kise, Trump’s lawyer, in a statement said, “We are very pleased the First Department upheld New York law and put a halt to any cancellation of business certificates, receivers or dissolution. The trial court’s attempt to reach issues, entities and assets beyond the scope of this case has been suspended.”

Friday’s ruling staying the cancellations but allowing the trial to resume came from a justice in the appellate division that handles case arising out of Manhattan Supreme Court.

Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron issued a summary judgement last month which found James had proven her central claim that the defendants had committed business fraud. Engoron had canceled Trump’s business certificates as part of that finding.

The trial is dealing with the remaining six claims in the suit.

— CNBC’s Kevin Breuninger Contributed to this report