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I ain't a lawyer, but......but as a civilian observer from hundreds and hundreds of miles away, I nonetheless think that Trump's lawyers would have....should have.....and likely did, present similar if not exact argument as the poster TIM above suggests.
If so, the judge evidently found them tractionless.
Notably, this suit has been percolating in the system for 4 years....with aggressive and persistent efforts by Don Trump to delay, delay, delay. And, it seems, a determined effort to stymie getting to the truth. For example Eric Trump early in the investigation, 3-1/2yrs ago, plead the protections of the 5th Amendment over 500 times; Don Trump himself 1-1/2yrs ago plead the 5th over 400 times.
And while the Trump side strenuously argues it is unfair that just a single judge decides ...a 'bench' trial..... they conveniently don't acknowledge that they never asked for a jury trial which was their right, and their obligation if that was their desire.
Now, the issue of the size of the penalty is beyond my knowledge, but.......but I would contemplate if someone will so argue, that just seizing the cash position of "substantially in excess of $400 million" that Trump himself stated in a deposition to the State's attorneys...would be enough to guarantee that Don Trump would be held accountable.
That $400+ million surety along with the rigorous overseeing by the appointed monitor could be sufficient to temporarily satisfy the State's concerns of failure to pay.
IMHO