New York, New York - Donald Trump was thrown a huge lifeline Monday when an appeals court massively slashed what could have been a crippling demand for a nearly half-billion-dollar bond payment and also gave him 10 more days to pay.

The Republican presidential candidate got the unexpectedly positive news about his New York civil fraud case while he was sitting in court for another case – a hearing in his upcoming criminal trial over paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Trump had been facing a Monday deadline to pay the huge original bond pending an appeal against a judge's decision that he is liable for fraudulently conspiring to inflate his net worth.

Trump had made clear he was unable to find the $454 million, and he risked seeing New York state confiscate parts of his property empire in response. Now with Monday's decision, he will have 10 more days to pay just $175 million.

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Writing on his Truth Social app, Trump said he would "abide by the decision of the Appellate Division and post either a bond, equivalent securities, or cash."

The 77-year-old began his day of twin legal crises in a Manhattan courtroom at a hearing to set a new date for his already-delayed hush money trial, which is now scheduled to start April 15.

He had gotten some positive financial news last week when it was announced that Truth Social would finally go public through a merger, a transaction that could net him billions of dollars.

Though the funds would be unavailable for six months, they potentially could help him secure a bond.

In case of non-payment, James could still order a freeze on his bank accounts, or move to seize some of his New York properties.