Trump Appeals Civil Fraud Ruling, Citing Doubts About Former Lawyer's Testimony

The former president argues that Michael Cohen has cast doubt on his own testimony against Trump in a case brought by the New York Attorney General.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 1:05am

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A dimly lit office space with a lone desk, chair, and window overlooking a city skyline at dusk, the scene bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of political intrigue and legal drama.The legal battle between former President Trump and the New York Attorney General's office casts a long shadow over the political landscape.NYC Today

Former President Donald Trump has asked New York's highest appeals court to vacate a judge's finding that he was liable for inflating the value of his real estate assets. Trump's lawyers cited a recent Substack post by his former attorney Michael Cohen, in which Cohen claimed he felt "compelled and coerced" to deliver testimony that was sought by New York Attorney General Letitia James in a civil fraud suit against Trump.

Why it matters

This case has been a major legal battle between Trump and the New York Attorney General's office, with allegations that Trump inflated asset values to secure better loan and insurance rates. Cohen's shift in testimony could undermine a key part of the state's case against Trump, potentially leading to the dismissal of the judge's liability finding against the former president.

The details

In a filing on Wednesday, Trump's lawyers argued that Cohen's recent claims about feeling "compelled and coerced" to testify against Trump cast doubt on his previous testimony, which was central to the New York Attorney General's civil fraud case. An intermediate appeals court had already tossed a nearly half-billion dollar penalty ordered against Trump, his company, and others associated with the firm. Now, Trump is asking the New York Court of Appeals to also dismiss the judge's finding of liability against him as part of that case.

  • In August 2024, an intermediate appeals court in Manhattan tossed the nearly half-billion dollar penalty ordered against Trump and others.
  • In March 2026, Trump's legal team asked the same appeals court to compel the New York Attorney General's office to produce all its records pertaining to Cohen.
  • On April 8, 2026, Trump filed the latest appeal with New York's highest appeals court.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who is appealing a civil fraud ruling against him.

Michael Cohen

Trump's former attorney who has cast doubt on his own previous testimony against Trump, claiming he felt "compelled and coerced" to deliver the testimony sought by the New York Attorney General.

Letitia James

The New York Attorney General who brought the civil fraud suit against Trump, alleging he had inflated the value of his real estate assets.

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What they’re saying

“Every defendant should be entitled to transparency into how a case against them was constructed; including clarity into prosecutorial tactics.”

— Michael Cohen

What’s next

The New York Court of Appeals will now consider Trump's appeal, which could lead to the dismissal of the judge's liability finding against the former president.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing legal battles between Trump and the New York Attorney General's office, with the former president now seizing on his former lawyer's shift in testimony to try and overturn a key part of the state's case against him.