Judge Signals He Will Approve Trump University Settlement Despite a Challenge -
By JENNIFER MEDINA and STEVE EDERMARCH 30, 2017
SAN DIEGO — After years of pursuing fraud claims against Donald J. Trump, lawyers representing former students of his defunct for-profit education venture, Trump University,
appeared in federal court on Thursday to try to fend off one last challenge: an objection to the $25 million settlement that would bring the case to a close.
Even before Thursday’s hearing, the plaintiffs’ lawyers — who said they would waive their fees after years of litigating the case — were surprised and disappointed
that Ms. Simpson had objected to the settlement, fearing that it would delay payments to other students for months, if not years.
After Judge Curiel reiterated that a jury trial could lead to less favorable results, Mr.
Friedman said, “That is a risk analysis that Sherri Simpson has the right to make.”
Mr. Trump publicly rebutted the fraud claims during his presidential bid, at one
point questioning Judge Curiel’s impartiality based on his Mexican heritage.
In a phone interview before Thursday’s hearing, Ms. Simpson said
that she hoped her objection would not “blow up the settlement,” but that she believed she could fare better at trial and possibly even win a guilty verdict against Mr. Trump.
Lawyers for Sherri Simpson, a former student from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., called on the federal judge, Gonzalo P. Curiel, to reject the
settlement unless former students are given a chance to opt out so they can pursue fraud claims against President Trump on their own.
