WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A New York appeals court judge on Thursday paused a gag order that had forbidden speech about court staff in the civil fraud case against former President Donald Trump, according to a court filing.

Trump's lawyers had argued that the gag order imposed by on Oct. 3 by Justice Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the case, was unconstitutional.

The gag order came after Trump shared on social media a photo of the judge's principal law clerk posing with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, and falsely called her Schumer's "girlfriend."

Trump's lawyers said that the gag order "may reasonably be interpreted as an effort to shield" his law clerk's role from scrutiny. They called the clerk's political contributions to Democratic candidates and organizations "impermissible partisan activity."

Alina Habba, Trump's attorney, welcomed news of the pause.

"I am pleased to see the Appellate Court restore some much needed respect for constitutional rights in this political circus being orchestrated and enabled by the State Attorney General’s office," Habba said in a statement.

Trump's lawyers on Wednesday urged the judge to declare a mistrial in the case over his family real estate company's business practices, but the former U.S. president faces long odds of getting a new trial.

(Reporting by Jack Queen, Ismail Shakil, Katharine Jackson; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Eric Beech)