Justice Arthur F. Engoron used humor to keep the peace as lawyers fought. His decisions in the civil fraud trial are already facing scrutiny as the former president counts on an appeal.
Last week, bankers from Deutsche Bank testified on behalf of the former president, lending support to a central plank of his defense, while a gag order was reinstated against him.
A gag order that was put on hold by an appeals court judge has been reinstated. The former president has twice violated the order, insulting the judge’s clerk.