On August 11, 2023, Justice Juan M. Merchan issued a written decision denying Donald J. Trump’s motion for recusal in People v. Trump. The New York slip cite is 2023 NY Slip Op 51485(U), Supreme Court, New York County. Justia hosts the text. A scan of the signed order is on DocumentCloud.
“Defendant has failed to demonstrate that there exists concrete, or even realistic reasons for recusal to be appropriate, much less required on these grounds. The speculative and hypothetical scenarios offered by Defendant fall well short of the legal standard.” People v. Trump, 2023 NY Slip Op 51485(U) (Sup. Ct. N.Y. County Aug. 11, 2023) (Merchan, J.)
The motion had been filed May 31, 2023 (notice plus the affirmation of Susan R. Necheles). The People opposed on June 14. The decision recites the Advisory Committee inquiry and quotes Opinion 23-54 on the modest contributions and the relative’s business. The court denied recusal “on all grounds.” The Law Journal summarized the same order: Merchan wrote that he had examined his conscience and was “certain in its ability to be fair and impartial,” and that recusal “would not be in the public interest.”
Fox News reported the denial on August 15, 2023, including the $15 / $10 / $10 donation split. That is reporting of the order, not a substitute for the slip opinion. This site does not invent a different holding.