Arthur F. Engoron, who is presiding over Donald J. Trump’s civil fraud trial, is an independent and thoughtful — if somewhat quirky — jurist who has served for 20 years in New York City Civil and State Supreme Court.
The 74-year-old judge, a former cabby with a shock of white hair and a penchant for cracking jokes from the bench, will effectively be judge and jury, deciding the fate of Mr. Trump’s New York businesses, which make up a large portion of his real estate empire.
That’s because the case was brought under a little known but powerful New York state law requiring that the matter be adjudicated at what is known as a bench trial, meaning that no jury will hear the case.
The judge not only applies the law, as judges do in jury trials, but also decides the facts, a task that a jury would otherwise perform.
And that means that Justice Engoron, a Democrat, will play a far more prominent and consequential role than a judge would at a jury trial, not just during the proceedings, but in the ultimate outcome — unless he is overturned on appeal.
Persons:
Arthur F, Engoron, Donald J, Trump’s
Organizations:
New York City Civil, Court, Democrat
Locations:
New York City, Trump’s New York, New York