In a bold move, Donald Trump's legal team has requested a New York judge to rule in their favor in a civil fraud case against the former U.S. president. This unexpected plea comes midway through a trial that has the potential to severely impact Trump's real estate empire.

The request for a "directed verdict" was made during an open court session, a day after the New York attorney general's office concluded presenting its case against Trump, his two adult sons, and 10 of his companies.

Attorney General Letitia James alleges that Trump and his family businesses manipulated the value of their assets, including golf courses and hotels, by billions of dollars to secure more favorable deals with lenders and insurers and lower their tax obligations.

However, Justice Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the case, has already determined that Trump and 10 of his businesses engaged in persistent fraud. It is highly unlikely that Engoron will grant the request for a directed verdict, especially considering that his ruling only covered one of the seven fraud counts Trump faces.

The ruling on the defense's request is pending, and if denied, the trial is expected to continue until mid-December.

Throughout the trial, Trump and his children, Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka, have maintained that they delegated the financial responsibilities to accountants, although evidence entered during the trial suggests their involvement to some extent. Ivanka, unlike the others, is not a defendant in the case.

Kevin Wallace, a lawyer representing the attorney general's office, argued that the defendants cannot evade responsibility, as they all signed documents acknowledging their role in the preparation of the statements at the core of the case.

Letitia James is seeking penalties of at least $250 million and additional restrictions that would effectively ban Trump and his adult sons from the New York real estate business for five years.

As the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Trump has repeatedly accused Letitia James and Judge Engoron of political bias and "election interference."

Trump's attorney, Christopher Kise, based his arguments on the assertion that banks who conducted business with the Trump Organization actually profited from the loans. He also highlighted that Trump's financial statements contained explicit disclaimers, advising banks to independently verify the asset valuations.

However, Judge Engoron remains unconvinced by this line of reasoning, having rejected similar arguments in previous rulings.

Kise countered by stating that it would be illogical for Trump to instruct banks to conduct their own due diligence if his intention was to deceive them.

This civil fraud trial is just one of several legal battles Trump is currently facing as he seeks a comeback bid for the White House in 2024. He is also a defendant in four criminal trials, including two related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Despite the legal challenges, Trump maintains a significant lead over his Republican contenders in the race for the 2024 presidential nomination.