SAN DIEGO, Nov. 14 (UPI) — Donald Trump‘s lawyers have filed a motion to delay the civil suit involving the now-defunct Trump University until after the inauguration in January.
The motion, filed Saturday night in federal court in San Diego, seek to delay the trial’s start from Nov. 28 until after Trump’s swearing-in on Jan 20.
Trump needs to “devote all of his time and attention to the transition process,” the motion says.
“The 69 days until inauguration are critical and all-consuming,” Trump lawyer Daniel Petrocelli said in the filing. “President-elect Trump must receive daily security briefings, make executive appointments (ultimately, thousands), and establish relationships with appointees, members of Congress, governors and foreign leaders. He must also develop important policy priorities.”
Former Trump University students sued in 2010, alleging they lost tens of thousands of dollars after being misled about the education they were to receive. The school enrolled 10,000 students from 2005 until it closed in 2010.
At a hearing Thursday, U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel encouraged the parties to settle and said he was unlikely to delay the start of the trial.
Trump, who met with President Barack Obama in the Oval office on Thursday, has refused to settle the cases.
“We are in uncharted territory,” Petrocelli said. “There are much more important obligations that President-elect Trump has and he will have to maybe be a little bit more flexible about the resolution of this case.”
The lawyers suggested recorded testimony before the inauguration can be used in this trial and in another case.
“In this way, the court minimizes the intrusion on the president-elect, preserves his trial testimony, and guarantees plaintiffs their day in court without regard to a sitting president’s unpredictable schedule,” the attorneys said.
On Thursday, Curiel also ruled against the Trump’s legal team’s attempt to ban testimony relating to Trump’s conduct during the presidential campaign.
In addition, Curiel refused to ban testimony about Trump University’s “F” rating by the Better Business Bureau, and says he will allow discussion of the financial condition of students, many of whom said they were poor.
Patrick Coughlin, a lawyer for the former students, opposes a delay in the case.
“We don’t think it changes anything. He’s the president-elect. He’s not sitting in office,” Coughlin said to CNN.
