Trump could face deposition in Summer Zervos lawsuit this year

Former President Trump could face a deposition before Christmas in the defamation lawsuit brought against him by a former “Apprentice” contestant who accuses him of sexual assault.

Summer Zervos has accused Trump of defamation when he said during the 2016 campaign that she lied about him sexually assaulting her. She accused him of groping her in 2007 in a hotel room.

In an order issued by New York Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Schecter, both parties in the defamation lawsuit have been given a deadline of Dec. 23 to complete fact discovery and depositions.

Michael Rand, a law clerk for Schecter, said on Monday that he doesn’t “see a reason” why a deposition from the former U.S. president could not happen before the end of this year, according to media reports.

“Now he’s a private citizen,” Rand said during a status update conference, ABC News reported. “I’m sure like any other litigant, we can have mutually agreeable dates for depositions. I really don’t see a reason that before the end of the year, you’re not done with depositions.”

“I do want to have an order entered and have the close of that discovery before Christmas,” he added, according to Business Insider.

Rand said he expected a trial date to be set at some time in the early part of 2022.

In March of this year, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that the defamation case could move forward, stating that the argument from Trump’s legal team that state courts cannot hear cases brought against sitting U.S. presidents is now moot since he was out of office.

The case had been on hold since March 2020. Trump had previously requested that it be dismissed, though a judge denied this request in 2019.

The Hill has reached out to Trump’s office for comment.

More than 20 women have accused the former president of sexual misconduct, from harassment to rape, before his time in office.