A New York appeals court on Thursday denied Donald Trump’s request to overturn a gag order in his ongoing civil fraud trial there, reinstating a limited ruling that prevents him from verbally attacking court staffers.

New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron originally imposed the order on Oct. 3 after the former president disparaged Engoron’s law clerk on social media ― an order that he proceeded to violate multiple times.

In one instance, Trump published a photo of the clerk on Truth Social. The clerk said she began receiving 20 to 30 harassing calls a day on her cellphone, in addition to dozens of threats sent via email and social media.

After the post, Engoron asked if, in this “overheated [political] climate,” the clerk might face “serious physical harm, and worse.”

An intermediate appeals court judge temporarily paused the order while the appeals process proceeded. Trump immediately seized upon that stay to verbally attack Engoron on social media.

This week’s decision vacates that pause and immediately reinstates the original gag order.

Trump’s lawyers have also demanded a mistrial, claiming in part that the gag order violates his First Amendment rights to free speech. New York Assistant Attorney General Kevin Wallace said the demand suffers from a “total lack of merit.”

Thursday’s decision should not be confused with a separate and forthcoming appeals court ruling on a gag order imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, in the criminal trial regarding Trump’s efforts to remain in office after losing the 2020 presidential election.