NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — A New York appeals court has reinstated a gag order on former U.S. President Donald Trump in the ongoing $250 million civil fraud trial brought by state Attorney General Letitia James. The order prohibits Trump from making public statements about the staff of Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the high-profile case. This decision comes after Engoron expanded the gag order to cover Trump’s attorneys, in response to their repeated targeting of the judge’s principal law clerk, Allison Greenfield.

Judge Engoron cited the inundation of threats and harassment against him and his staff as the reason for the expanded gag order, noting that Trump’s comments about Greenfield prompted “hundreds” of threatening messages, many of which were antisemitic. Trump’s attorneys had appealed the speech restrictions, arguing that they unconstitutionally blocked Trump from accusing Engoron and Greenfield of political bias.

Furthermore, Engoron has already found Trump and his co-defendants liable for fraudulently misstating the values of real estate properties and other assets. The trial is set to determine penalties and resolve other claims of wrongdoing in James’ suit, including a request to permanently bar Trump Sr., Donald Trump Jr., and Eric Trump from running a New York business. The defense is expected to call Trump back to the stand as its final witness on December 11, with closing arguments scheduled for January 11. Engoron plans to issue a verdict in the case a few weeks after the trial ends.