Core Points - A New York appellate court ruled that former President Trump and his company do not have to pay a previously imposed civil fraud penalty of approximately $500 million, citing the penalty as "excessive" under the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution [1] - The court acknowledged that Trump had inflated asset valuations, particularly regarding Mar-a-Lago and the Trump Tower penthouse, but deemed the lower court's penalty as excessive [1] - Following the ruling, Trump claimed the decision was a courageous act against an "illegal and shameful ruling," framing the case as unprecedented political persecution [1] - The New York Attorney General's office announced plans to appeal the decision, indicating that the legal battle is far from over [1] Legal Context - Trump's legal pressures have notably decreased since his return to the political scene, with the U.S. Department of Justice previously dropping two federal criminal cases against him based on the policy that sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted [2] - Despite being convicted in a hush-money case in Manhattan, a judge ruled that he would not serve jail time, reflecting the broad immunity granted to presidents while in office [2]