Trump attends New York fraud trial for third day in a row

• The civil case, which will determine damages owed by the GOP presidential frontrunner, threatens Trump's business empire in New York.

The latest: Trump spoke outside of the courtroom before the trial started Wednesday and again said it was intended to hurt his campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, multiple outlets reported.

• He complained about the trial having no jury, but New York Judge Arthur Engoron said his lawyers never requested one.
• Trump also attacked James, whom Trump has sued over claims that she abused her position.
• Donald Bender, formerly an accountant for Trump, was on the witness stand Wednesday.

Meanwhile, his lawyers filed an expected appeal of Engoron's late September ruling that Trump committed fraud by exaggerating his net worth on financial records.

Catch up quick: Trump appeared voluntarily at the Manhattan courthouse on Monday and Tuesday for the first two days of the trial. During those appearances, he unloaded on Engoron in a preview of what his 2024 campaign rhetoric could look like.

• Trump, who has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, is on the witness list for both his own legal team and prosecutors and has said publicly he'll testify.

Zoom in: Engoron, who will ultimately decide the case, issued a gag order on Tuesday after Trump posted on Truth Social attacking the judge's law clerk.

• "Personal attacks on members on my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate, and I won't tolerate them," Engoron said, according to the Associated Press.

Go deeper: Trump's words turn violent as pressure on him builds

Editor's note: This story has been updated with details throughout.