Trump University case to go to trial, Trump expected to take the stand

Donald Trump. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

A New York court decided Tuesday that a lawsuit against the now-defunct for-profit Trump University will go to trial, after a settlement could not be reached.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed the suit in 2013, and in a statement, he said he believes that "Mr. Trump and Mr. Sexton will be essential witnesses at trial. As we will prove in court, Donald Trump and his sham for-profit college defrauded thousands of students out of millions of dollars." Schneiderman was referring to Michael Sexton, a man who approached Trump about launching Trump University, ABC News reports.

Court documents show the program began in October 2004, with students first taking a free seminar. Instructors recommended they sign up for a three-day seminar at a cost of $1,500, and then follow up with the Trump Elite Program, a year-long mentorship that started at $20,000. The attorney general's office believes up to 5,000 people across the country could have claims, and the suit is seeking $40 million in damages. Trump has said the case is "not a big deal" and he "will win it in court."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.