(NEXSTAR) – A criminal trial against former President Donald Trump is currently happening in a New York City courtroom, with prosecutors and Trump’s defense presenting their opening arguments Monday.
Jury selection had taken just four days last week, but the trial itself might continue for months.
The trial is about accusations that Trump had falsified business records linked to a $130,000 payment made to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who claimed Trump was reimbursing him for a hush-money payment made to adult film actress known as Story Daniels during the 2016 presidential election. Daniels alleges she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.
Trump, who currently faces 34 felony charges for falsifying records, has denied any wrongdoing, and has denied a sexual relationship with Daniels.
The prosecution is likely to call Daniels and Cohen as witnesses, as well as former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal, who claims she was paid $150,000 by the parent company of the National Enquirer in 2016 for the rights to her story about an alleged 10-month affair with Trump. Trump denies having sexual relations with McDougal. Hope Hicks, a former White House communications director under Trump, is also expected to testify.
David Pecker, a friend of Trump’s and the former publisher of the National Enquirer, testified Monday before court adjourned for the day.
Experts have said they anticipate the trial to conclude before the final stages of the 2024 presidential election. The New York State Unified Court System, more specifically, states the proceedings should last between six and eight weeks, but that’s only an estimate.
No matter how long it goes, Trump is required to be in court four days per week (court won’t take place on Wednesdays) causing his campaign team to schedule many of his in-person appearances on weekends, or even virtually, The Hill previously reported.
Experts talking with The Hill also mentioned that, in the event Trump is convicted, he would still be able to run for office. It’s unlikely he’d be sentenced to prison, they added, but that still wouldn’t legally prevent him from running for office or being elected.
Aside from the hush-money case, Trump has been indicted in three other inquiries, including a federal case in Washington charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and a federal case in Florida charging him with hoarding classified documents.
The New York prosecution takes on added importance, though, because it is the first case to reach trial before the November election. Appeals and legal disputes have delayed the other three cases.
