Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial Judge Sets Sentencing Date for 10 Days Before Presidential Inauguration

Judge Juan Merchan confirmed President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing hearing for his hush money trial will take place on Friday, January 10, after several delays.

In his recent ruling, Merchan agreed Trump, 78, would be allowed to appear either in person in a New York courtroom or virtually. He further pledged that his sentence would not include jail time.

Merchan declared Trump's behavior was an example of "premediated and continuous deception by the leader of the free world."

"To vacate this verdict on the grounds that the charges are insufficiently serious given the position Defendant once held, and is about to assume again, would constitute a disproportionate result and cause immeasurable damage to the citizenry's confidence in the Rule of Law," he noted.

"While this Court as a matter of law must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and Defendants opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Court’s inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction but one the People concede they no longer view as a practicable recommendation," the judge wrote.

"As such; in balancing the aforementioned considerations in conjunction with the underlying concerns of the Presidential immunity doctrine, a sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options," he continued.

As OK! previously reported, a jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business documents in connection with a hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election. He was accused of paying the adult film star to keep her from speaking out about an alleged sexual encounter she claims they had in 2006.

The politician was originally scheduled to be sentenced in July, but Judge Merchan moved the sentencing hearing to September. He later announced he would postpone the hearing once again until after Election Day.

In response to Merchan's announcement, Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung, released a statement calling the judge's decision "a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence."

This is in reference to the Supreme Court's controversial ruling last year that said the Commander-in-Chief should be given immunity regarding official acts committed as POTUS.

"President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts," he said. "There should be no sentencing."