Attorney Alina Habba for Donald Trump and Judge Lewis Kaplan recently argued from the beginning of the most recent hearing over the former president’s accountability in the E. Jean Carroll case.
Tuesday morning, Trump is back in a New York courtroom for jury selection and the beginning of the civil trial stemming from Carroll’s complaint for defamation against him. The trial will ascertain the amount of damages that Trump must pay Carroll, who was previously found guilty of sexually abusing the writer and awarded $5 million.
CNN reports that Kaplan and Habba got into it when the judge refused her request for the trial to be postponed so Trump can attend his mother-in-law’s funeral. When Habba demanded the trial be temporarily adjourned so Trump could be present for it later, she and Kaplan got into it — as the judge refuted her claims and told her the trial’s procedure has been established. Judge Kaplan added that he will not hear any more arguments from her on the subject:
From CNN:
“When the ruling is made that is the end not the beginning of argument,” Kaplan said at one point — perhaps as a nod to the lengthy arguments Judge Arthur Engoron allowed in Trump’s recent New York civil fraud trial.
Habba requested the judge grant an adjournment Thursday, so Trump does not have to decide whether to be in court at trial or at his mother-in-law’s funeral.
“I am asking you, sir, now for a one-day adjournment of this trial” Thursday to “allow my clients to be there so that he can be present for every day of this trial as he has a right to be,” Habba said.
“I am not stopping him from being there,” Kaplan said.
“No, you’re stopping him from being here, Your Honor,” Habba responded.
“The argument is over,” Kaplan said, declining to change his previous ruling.
