The Legal Strategy of Limited Recollection: Insights from Ivanka Trump's Testimony

Ivanka Trump testified for four hours in a civil fraud lawsuit against her father, former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit, brought by New York's attorney general, accuses Mr. Trump of inflating his net worth to obtain favorable loans from banks. While Ivanka Trump's approach on the stand was different from her father and brothers, maintaining a calm and controlled demeanor, there was a similarity in her testimony - she frequently stated that she did not recall or know much about the issues at hand. This defense strategy, common in business cases, allows executives to argue that they handle various matters and interact with many people daily, making it difficult to remember specific details. Legal experts believe that Ivanka Trump's lack of recall may protect her reputation and help the defendants. Additionally, the timing of the documents referred to in court, which date back ten or more years, makes her lack of recall plausible. Some experts believe that Ivanka Trump's testimony will have a negligible effect on the trial's outcome, while others think it may even play into the Trump narrative of a political witch hunt. The trial will determine the penalties the defendants will face, and the defense will have the opportunity to call their own witnesses after Ivanka Trump's testimony.