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| Donald Trump has been charged. What happens next? | Donald Trump has been charged. What happens next? |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Watch: Three takeaways from Trump's day in court | Watch: Three takeaways from Trump's day in court |
| Watch: Three takeaways from Trump's day in court | Watch: Three takeaways from Trump's day in court |
| Donald Trump has become the first former American president ever to be criminally charged. What comes next for Mr Trump and his defence team? | Donald Trump has become the first former American president ever to be criminally charged. What comes next for Mr Trump and his defence team? |
| The 76-year-old pleaded not guilty in New York on Tuesday to 34 counts of falsifying business records. | The 76-year-old pleaded not guilty in New York on Tuesday to 34 counts of falsifying business records. |
| Although these charges are usually treated as lesser misdemeanours, Mr Trump is accused of committing more serious offences - felonies that may result in more than a year in jail upon conviction. | |
| The charges relate to Mr Trump's involvement in hush money payments to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. | The charges relate to Mr Trump's involvement in hush money payments to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. |
| There's no doubt that if the case gets to trial, it will be watched worldwide. But the legal process that lies ahead could last several months - and will certainly see Mr Trump's lawyers fighting to get the case dropped. | There's no doubt that if the case gets to trial, it will be watched worldwide. But the legal process that lies ahead could last several months - and will certainly see Mr Trump's lawyers fighting to get the case dropped. |
| Prosecutors hand over evidence | Prosecutors hand over evidence |
| The office of the Manhattan District Attorney has been investigating the Trump hush money payments for five years. | The office of the Manhattan District Attorney has been investigating the Trump hush money payments for five years. |
| District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges that Mr Trump falsified the true nature of the payments because those payments were made in support of a crime - violating election laws in order to influence the 2016 presidential election. | |
| With Mr Trump's arraignment complete, prosecutors are now required to turn over evidence they have gathered during their probe to his legal team - a standard process known as "discovery". | With Mr Trump's arraignment complete, prosecutors are now required to turn over evidence they have gathered during their probe to his legal team - a standard process known as "discovery". |
| Under recent legal reforms in New York, discovery must be completed within the next 35 days. | Under recent legal reforms in New York, discovery must be completed within the next 35 days. |
| Evidence will include law enforcement interviews with, and witness testimony from, key figures like Ms Daniels and Mr Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen. | Evidence will include law enforcement interviews with, and witness testimony from, key figures like Ms Daniels and Mr Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen. |
| It will also comprise minutes from the grand jury convened earlier this year by Mr Bragg to take a closer look at the allegations, as well as records of communication between Mr Trump and others involved in the scheme. | It will also comprise minutes from the grand jury convened earlier this year by Mr Bragg to take a closer look at the allegations, as well as records of communication between Mr Trump and others involved in the scheme. |
| Trump's lawyers try to get case dismissed | Trump's lawyers try to get case dismissed |
| Lawyers for Mr Trump have vowed to challenge the charges against him within days, arguing that the New York case is "ripe for motions". | Lawyers for Mr Trump have vowed to challenge the charges against him within days, arguing that the New York case is "ripe for motions". |
| Motions are requests for the court to make a decision on a matter relating to a case before a trial begins. If a party makes "a motion to dismiss", it is asking the court to dismiss all or part of a case. | Motions are requests for the court to make a decision on a matter relating to a case before a trial begins. If a party makes "a motion to dismiss", it is asking the court to dismiss all or part of a case. |
| Defence lawyers typically have 45 days after arraignment to make their motions, although Judge Juan Merchan could grant them a little more time. | Defence lawyers typically have 45 days after arraignment to make their motions, although Judge Juan Merchan could grant them a little more time. |
| Attorney Joe Tacopina told CNN on Sunday that the Trump legal team would "evaluate all our legal options and pursue every one most vigorously". | Attorney Joe Tacopina told CNN on Sunday that the Trump legal team would "evaluate all our legal options and pursue every one most vigorously". |
| "The team will look at every, every potential issue that we will be able to challenge, and we will challenge," he said. "And, of course, I very much anticipate a motion to dismiss coming because there's no law that fits this." | "The team will look at every, every potential issue that we will be able to challenge, and we will challenge," he said. "And, of course, I very much anticipate a motion to dismiss coming because there's no law that fits this." |
| What the 34 felony charges against Trump reveal | What the 34 felony charges against Trump reveal |
| The one thing Trump's day in court tells us | The one thing Trump's day in court tells us |
| In addition to a motion to dismiss, the Trump team has floated the possibility of a motion to transfer venue - moving the trial from Manhattan to nearby Staten Island. | In addition to a motion to dismiss, the Trump team has floated the possibility of a motion to transfer venue - moving the trial from Manhattan to nearby Staten Island. |
| Mr Trump wrote on social media that Manhattan "with some areas that voted 1% Republican" is a "very unfair" place for him to face a trial. But motions to transfer venue are rarely granted. | Mr Trump wrote on social media that Manhattan "with some areas that voted 1% Republican" is a "very unfair" place for him to face a trial. But motions to transfer venue are rarely granted. |
| The former president's lawyers may also seek to dismiss Judge Merchan, whom Mr Trump recently said "hates" him and who presided over the tax-fraud trial that led to the conviction of the Trump Organization's chief financial officer. | The former president's lawyers may also seek to dismiss Judge Merchan, whom Mr Trump recently said "hates" him and who presided over the tax-fraud trial that led to the conviction of the Trump Organization's chief financial officer. |
| Legal analysts believe that, true to form, Mr Trump will seek to slow down the legal process. | Legal analysts believe that, true to form, Mr Trump will seek to slow down the legal process. |
| "It is an understatement to say that [Trump] has a litigious style," Joshua Ritter, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor, told USA Today. | "It is an understatement to say that [Trump] has a litigious style," Joshua Ritter, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor, told USA Today. |
| "You're going to see challenges to everything, every step of the way." | "You're going to see challenges to everything, every step of the way." |
| Trial of the century? | Trial of the century? |
| After his various legal challenges play out, the People of New York v. Donald Trump may become the trial of the century. | After his various legal challenges play out, the People of New York v. Donald Trump may become the trial of the century. |
| Defendants in New York have a so-called "right to a speedy trial" - which means that prosecutors must be ready to try the case within six months. | Defendants in New York have a so-called "right to a speedy trial" - which means that prosecutors must be ready to try the case within six months. |
| But it is impossible to know how long it will take to address all the motions filed by Mr Trump's lawyers, and if we will even see a trial when they have been resolved. | But it is impossible to know how long it will take to address all the motions filed by Mr Trump's lawyers, and if we will even see a trial when they have been resolved. |
| It also remains unclear what arguments prosecutors will use to prove that a felony has occurred. | It also remains unclear what arguments prosecutors will use to prove that a felony has occurred. |
| One avenue centres on whether Mr Trump falsified business records as part for a plan to deceive state tax authorities. | One avenue centres on whether Mr Trump falsified business records as part for a plan to deceive state tax authorities. |
| Another may focus on a possible breach of election laws, even though legal experts remain divided on whether election law can be prosecuted in state courts. | Another may focus on a possible breach of election laws, even though legal experts remain divided on whether election law can be prosecuted in state courts. |
| In the meantime, Mr Trump could face criminal charges in at least two other cases, including a special counsel probe into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified information after leaving office. | In the meantime, Mr Trump could face criminal charges in at least two other cases, including a special counsel probe into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified information after leaving office. |
| But no laws exist to prevent an indicted American from running for president, and the Republican will likely continue building his third consecutive campaign for the White House. | But no laws exist to prevent an indicted American from running for president, and the Republican will likely continue building his third consecutive campaign for the White House. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| New York City | New York City |
| Indictment of Donald Trump | Indictment of Donald Trump |
| US election 2024 | US election 2024 |
| New York | New York |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| US politics | US politics |
| United States | United States |