Trump lawyers challenge Letitia James over evidence preservation in New York fraud case

The short version

• Donald Trump's legal defense filed a letter with the New York Supreme Court claiming New York Attorney General Letitia James failed to adequately detail her office's evidence preservation practices.[Fox News]
• The dispute centers on whether prosecutors preserved communications involving former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who publicly alleged in early 2026 that he felt pressured by investigators.[Fox News]
• James' office stated that it fully complied with the court's preservation disclosure requirements and objected to additional defense demands for discovery.[Fox News]

Key facts

• Donald Trump's attorneys filed a letter with the New York Supreme Court alleging New York Attorney General Letitia James failed to comply with an order to detail evidence preservation practices.[Fox News]
• The defense's filing cites a January 16, 2026 Substack post in which former Trump attorney Michael Cohen alleged he felt pressured by James' office to give testimony supporting their case.[Fox News]
• A judge previously rejected Trump's request for additional discovery but instructed the attorney general's office to describe its evidence preservation procedures.[Fox News]
• The New York Attorney General's Office responded that it has fully met all obligations under the court order and objects to extrajudicial discovery requests.[Fox News]
• Trump was originally ordered to pay $355 million plus interest after being found liable in the 2022 civil fraud suit, though an appeals court later vacated the monetary penalties.[Fox News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Trump lawyers target what Letitia James won’t say about evidence in $450M caseFox News