The earliest possible day that former Trump attorney Michael Cohen could testify is next Monday, Judge Engoron said.

Cohen, who for years was Trump's so-called "fixer," said an ongoing medical issue had forced him to postpone his testimony, which was originally scheduled to begin tomorrow.

Judge Engoron noted that he has not yet received Cohen's "all-important doctor's note," but that he hopes to receive it sometime today.

Trump attorney Chris Kise criticized the delayed appearance of Cohen, who he described as central to the state's case -- noting that Cohen has continued to post to social media despite his medical issue.

"He does continue to be active in his pursuit of my client," Kise said. "He does not appear to be that infirm."

Trump Organization executive Patrick Birney testified that then-CFO Allen Weisselberg told him that Trump wanted to see his net worth "go up."

"Did Allen Weisselberg ever tell you that Mr. Trump wanted his net worth on the statement of financial condition to go up?" state attorney Eric Haren asked Birney.

"Yes," Birney said. "I think that happened in Allen Weisselberg's office."

Birney said the meeting with Weisselberg happened sometime between 2017 and 2019, but could recall a specific date.

The testimony prompted a quick objection from Trump attorney Chris Kise, who pushed back on claims from the New York attorney general that there was a conspiracy between Trump Organization employees to inflate Trump’s net worth.

"They are mixing hearsay and the conspiracy," Kise argued.

Judge Engoron asked both parties to submit two-page memos by tomorrow about whether the statements from Birney are hearsay.

Trump's lawyers declined to cross-examine Birney, who stepped down from the stand, clearing the way for Trump Hotels chief accounting officer Mark Hawthorn to testify.

On the heels of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen's decision to delay his testimony, Judge Engoron said that "the schedule for the rest of this week is somewhat up in the air."

The judge, however, promised to offer clarity about the trial schedule later today.

Engoron also acknowledged the anticipated return on Tuesday of former President Trump to the courtroom.

When the judge, while waiting for a witness to enter, joked about arguing before an empty chair, defense attorney Chris Kise replied, "It won't be empty tomorrow."

Engoron responded with a smile, saying "So I hear."

The civil fraud trial of former President Trump, his adult sons, and Trump Organization executives enters its third week with a notable schedule change.

Trump's former lawyer and so-called "fixer" Michael Cohen, who was initially scheduled to begin his testimony on Tuesday, has delayed his court appearance due to a preexisting medical condition.

"I look forward to testifying and correcting the record as to the multiple misstatements and responses by previous witnesses who stated … 'I don't recall.' Unfortunately for them, I do," Cohen told ABC News on Saturday.

Trump is expected to attend multiple days of the trial beginning on Tuesday, according to sources familiar with his plans.

In the meantime, Trump Organization executive Patrick Birney is expected to conclude his testimony this morning.

Birney is scheduled to be followed on the stand by Mark Hawthorn, the chief accounting officer at Trump Hotels.

Prosecutors intend to prove in the coming months that "each defendant engaged in repeated, persistent, illegal acts in conduct of business," according to the opening statement from Kevin Wallace of the attorney general's office.

Referring to Judge Engoron's partial summary judgment last week, Wallace said that "the people have already proven" that former President Trump used "false, misleading" statements that were "repeatedly [and] persistently used in the conduct of business."

But prosecutors will further demonstrate that Trump and his co-defendants knew those statements were false and continued to peddle them anyway in furtherance of their alleged scheme, Wallace told the judge.

"The defendants were lying year after year," he said.

Wallace played clips of video depositions to punctuate his remarks, including testimony from Trump himself, as well as Eric Trump and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen -- whose congressional testimony years ago precipitated the state's investigation and some of the key allegations underpinning their case.

"The goal was to use each of [Trump's] assets and increase its value in order to get to the end result number," Cohen said during his taped deposition. "It was essentially backing in numbers to each of the asset classes in order to attain the number that President Trump wanted."

Trump and his co-defendants "knew that a high net worth was necessary to get and maintain certain financial benefits," Wallace said, pointing to basic principles of accounting and finance.

Throughout Wallace's remarks, the attorney general's office flashed graphics on television screens inside the courtroom showing some of the alleged inflated values of Trump's properties alongside the amounts the properties were appraised at.

Seated in his chair with his arms crossed, Trump visibly shook his head at times during the prosecutor's opening statement. At one point he seemed to mutter something under his breath.

The former president whispered with his attorneys throughout.