Because the law mandated a “bench trial” decided by a judge.
The NY AG’s office requested a bench trial. Habba could have requested a trial by jury, but she failed to respond to the state’s motion.
“Former President Trump has repeatedly complained about the lack of a jury in his New York civil fraud trial, but his own legal team appears to have failed to request one.
Why it matters: Trump has claimed it’s “unfair” that the judge in the case opted for a bench trial, without a jury. But the court docket shows that while Attorney General Letitia James filed a document requesting a bench trial, Trump’s lawyers never filed any corresponding document requesting a jury.
If Trump’s team had requested a jury, then Judge Arthur Engoron would have had to consider both sides’ requests.
https://www.axios.com/2023/10/04/trump-fraud-trial-new-york-jury
Nope--that ain't it.