Donald Trump's Court Calendar Just Got More Complicated

Donald Trump had another court hearing added to his calendar for later this month as questions swirl over the sufficiency of the former president's $175 million bond posted in his civil fraud case.

Trump posted the bond, which on Monday was lowered from the original $454 million judgment, as he appeals New York State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron's ruling that found him and his business associates liable of misleading lenders. The bond ensures that New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the lawsuit against Trump, is unable to seize the former president's assets during the appeals process.

The bond was issued by Knight Specialty Insurance Company (KSIC), a group based in California chaired by billionaire Don Hankey. But questions have been raised after the bond was rejected by the New York State Supreme Court on Wednesday, which said in an electronic filing message that the bond had been "returned for correction."

Engoron has now called for Trump's team to appear back in court to provide more details about the bond, which will likely include KSIC providing proof that it can cover the amount. According to the New York County Supreme Court's message regarding the bond, Trump will also need to provide his "current financial statement" when resubmitting the bond.

Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign via email for comment on Thursday.

James' office said in a legal filing on Thursday that the attorney general "takes exception to the sufficiency of the surety to the undertaking given by Defendants" and KSIC "without a certificate of qualification pursuant to Insurance Law."

A source with James' office told Newsweek earlier Thursday that the court filing was rendered because the former president chose to use an insurance company that is not admitted in New York and is therefore ineligible to obtain a certificate of qualification from the state Department of Financial Services.

The additional hearing in Trump's civil fraud case is scheduled for a week after the trial will start in his criminal hush-money case in Manhattan, where District Attorney Alvin Bragg has accused Trump of falsifying business records in connection to hush money paid to adult-film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Jury selection for that case, which is the first of four criminal indictments against Trump heading to trial, will begin on April 15.

Trump had sought to delay his Manhattan criminal case until after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on whether he is protected by presidential immunity in his federal election interference case. That request, however, on Wednesday was shot down by presiding New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who wrote in his decision that Trump's motion to delay his trial was "untimely."

The former president has maintained throughout the legal challenges against him that he is innocent of any wrongdoing, and has accused prosecutors like Bragg and James of attempting to interfere with his 2024 reelection campaign. Trump is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, likely to again face President Joe Biden in November.