Why Trump's fraud trial in New York doesn't have a jury

• If Trump's team had requested a jury, then Judge Arthur Engoron would have had to consider both sides' requests.
• Representatives for Trump did not respond to requests for comment.

What is a bench trial?

• A bench trial is one in which the judge, rather than a jury, decides the case, according to the NY Courts system.
• Engoron is overseeing the trial, which began on Monday after James filed the $250 million lawsuit in September 2022. Engoron has already ruled that Trump committed fraud by exaggerating his wealth.

What did Letitia James' team request?

• James' team requested a trial without a jury in a note of issue filed to the court on July 31.
• The request also included a certificate of readiness for trial, which stated that there were no outstanding requests for discovery.

What is the judge's role?

• Engoron will decide the facts of the case and determine how to apply the law, per Cornell Law School.

• At the beginning of the trial, Engoron said that neither side requested a jury, according to AP.

What are Trump and his team saying?

• "I am not even entitled, under any circumstances, to a JURY," Trump posted Wednesday on Truth Social. He has made similar remarks throughout the trial.
• Alina Habba, a Trump attorney, said that Trump did want a jury but didn't explain why his legal team didn't request one, Insider reports.

Go deeper: What we know about the Trump civil fraud trial in New York