Trump Gets Two Legal Victories as Civil Cases Dismissed, Dropped

A judge in New York has dismissed a 2019 lawsuit against the Trump Organization by attorney Michael Cohen seeking reimbursement of legal fees, and a separate lawsuit for defamation against former President Donald Trump by a contestant on NBC's show "The Apprentice" was dropped by the plaintiff, Summer Zervos.

According to CNN, Cohen's suit against the Trump Organization was dismissed Friday by federal Judge Joel Cohen because the plaintiff provided services only to Trump personally, Trump's campaign and his foundation, and not to the defendant organization.

"Mr. Cohen's legal fees arise out of his (sometimes unlawful) service to Mr. Trump personally, to Mr. Trump's campaign, and to the Trump Foundation, but not out of his service to the business of the Trump Organization, which is the only defendant in this case," Cohen wrote in his order as reported by CNN.

"Today's incredible victory for the Trump Organization puts an end to the frivolous litigation by convicted felon Michael Cohen," a spokesman for the Trump Organization told the news outlet.

"While the Southern District of New York already found that Mr. Cohen engaged in a 'smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct ... motivated by personal greed and ambition,' Mr. Cohen attempted to invent a basis for requiring the Trump Organization to pay his legal fees for personal criminal conduct (including perjury).

"Mr. Cohen's attempts at self-enrichment, however, once again failed. Having won this case, we now look forward to seeking monetary damages against Mr. Cohen for all of his despicable conduct," the spokesman said.

Cohen criticized the ruling in a statement to CNN.

"I think it's a terrible decision by Justice Cohen based upon the fact that I was directed to handle the matters that I did at the direction of and for the benefit of Donald J. Trump and the Trump Organization. Over the course of the weekend, I will be evaluating with my counsel whether to file an appeal or not," the statement read.

In a separate civil case, Zervos, a former "Apprentice" contestant, dropped her 2017 defamation suit against Trump.

In that case, Zervos claimed Trump sexually assaulted her during a trip to Los Angeles about two years after she appeared on the popular NBC show in 2005.

Trump denied the allegations but was preparing to sit for depositions in the case in December, according to CNN.

"Today the parties have ended Zervos v. Trump," her attorneys said in a statement. ''After five years, Ms. Zervos no longer wishes to litigate against the defendant and has secured the right to speak freely about her experience. Ms. Zervos stands by the allegations in her complaint and has accepted no compensation."