New York State Attorney General Letitia James filed a motion Thursday asking a judge to hold Donald J. Trump in contempt for failing to turn over documents as part of his civil investigation into his business activities.

The request from lawyers in Ms James’ office, which was filed in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, said the former president had refused to hand over documents the attorney general had requested in eight requests. The filing also asked the judge to fine Mr. Trump $10,000 a day until he turns over the documents.

The filing cited a response from Mr. Trump’s legal team arguing that the attorney general’s requests were “grossly overbroad, unintelligible, unduly burdensome” and did not “adequately describe” the requested documents.

A lawyer for Mr. Trump, Ronald P. Fischetti, declined to comment, saying he had not yet seen the filing.

The state Supreme Court judge overseeing the legal dispute over the documents, Arthur F. Engoron, will decide whether to hold Mr. Trump in contempt and whether to impose any fines.

The motion is the latest legal skirmish in Ms James’ civil investigation into Mr Trump and his family business. Recently, Judge Engoron ordered Mr. Trump and two of his adult children to submit to questioning by the Attorney General’s office. Lawyers for the Trump family have appealed the decision.

Since Ms. James’ investigation is a civil one, it may lead to a prosecution, but not to criminal charges. She said in other court documents that her office had obtained evidence showing that Mr. Trump’s family business, the Trump Organization, had engaged in “fraudulent or deceptive” practices.

The attorney general’s office is also involved in a criminal investigation of Mr. Trump that focuses on some of the same behaviors and is being led by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. The two lead prosecutors leading that investigation resigned in February after a disagreement with District Attorney Alvin Bragg over whether to pursue a grand jury presentation regarding Mr. Trump. Mr Bragg’s office said the investigation was continuing.