Trump lawyers acknowledge civil fraud bond was issued without 'certificate of qualification'

[former9thward]

27. That was an internet myth.

Habba had a tense interaction with the judge presiding over the lawsuit between columnist E. Jean Carroll and Trump and contested one of his rulings. But the description of a jury "box" oversight is wrong. In Trump's civil fraud case, the judge confirmed Habba did not forget to check off a box to get a jury trial.

Civil fraud case was slated for bench trial from the start

The widely circulated rumor that Habba forgot to check a box to request a jury for the trial was debunked by the judge himself, Arthur Engoron. ABC News reported on Oct. 11, 2023, that Engoron said no one “forgot” to check off anything. “We are having a non-jury trial because we are hearing a non-jury case," he said. “It would have not helped to make a motion. Nobody forgot to check off a box.”

Engoron said James had requested the case not be decided by a jury, which is reflected in court documents. That meant it would be a bench trial, which is when the judge makes the final ruling. The process to seek a jury trial instead would have required filing a motion for a jury trial, not checking a box. Trump's team filed no such motion. Even if they had, Engoron said, he would have denied it since James asked for "equitable" relief, which does not entitle participants to a jury trial.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2024/02/29/trump-trial-alina-habba-jury-box/72780822007/