Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial Judge Refuses Request to Delay Sentencing Hearing Weeks Before Inauguration

Judge Juan Merchan refused to further delay Donald Trump's upcoming sentencing hearing for his hush money trial conviction.

On Monday, January 6, Trump's legal team argued "the Court should vacate the sentencing hearing scheduled for January 10, 2025, and suspend all further deadlines in the case until President Trump’s immunity appeals are fully and finally resolved, which should result in a dismissal of this case, which should have never been brought in the first place."

However, in his ruling, Judge Merchan wrote: "Defendant's motion for a stay of these proceedings, including the sentencing hearing scheduled for January 10, 2025, is hereby DENIED."

As OK! previously reported, Trump, 78, was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business documents in connection with a payment made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. The jury reached their verdict on May 30, 2024.

Although Trump was originally scheduled to be sentenced in July, that date was later pushed to September. Merchan then said he would halt proceedings until after Election Day.

Trump declared his win in the 2024 presidential election in the early morning hours of November 6, 2024.

Merchan has officially set the sentencing date for January 10, which is only 10 days prior to Trump's inauguration. The judge said the president-elect would be able to attend either in-person or virtually and stated he would not be pursuing a sentence that involved jail time.

"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 penned in his ruling.

"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.

Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung later claimed there "should be no sentencing."

"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 at the time.