Judge Signals He Will Approve Trump University Settlement Despite a Challenge -<br />By JENNIFER MEDINA and STEVE EDERMARCH 30, 2017<br />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,<br />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.<br />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<br />that Ms. Simpson had objected to the settlement, fearing that it would delay payments to other students for months, if not years.<br />After Judge Curiel reiterated that a jury trial could lead to less favorable results, Mr.<br />Friedman said, “That is a risk analysis that Sherri Simpson has the right to make.”<br />Mr. Trump publicly rebutted the fraud claims during his presidential bid, at one<br />point questioning Judge Curiel’s impartiality based on his Mexican heritage.<br />In a phone interview before Thursday’s hearing, Ms. Simpson said<br />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.<br />Lawyers for Sherri Simpson, a former student from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., called on the federal judge, Gonzalo P. Curiel, to reject the<br />settlement unless former students are given a chance to opt out so they can pursue fraud claims against President Trump on their own.
