Who is Juan Merchan, the 'no-nonsense' judge overseeing Trump's case?

The judge overseeing Donald Trump's hush-money case knows the drama the former president brings to court.

The two have crossed paths before, legally speaking.

In 2022, Justice Juan Manuel Merchan presided over the tax-fraud trial that led to the conviction of the Trump Organization's chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg.

He has more than 16 years on the bench, but this will be by far the most high-profile case to cross his courtroom.

The New York County Supreme Court judge is also presiding over a criminal case against the former president's close ally, Steve Bannon, who has been charged with fraud and money laundering in connection with a charity that was supposed to help build a wall along the US-Mexico border.

On Friday, ahead of his own day in court, Mr Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social that Justice Merchan "HATES ME".

Mr Trump, who faces charges related to hush money paid to a former porn star, has denied all wrongdoing.

Justice Merchan began his legal career in 1994, after graduating from Hofstra University School of Law.

He spent several years in the New York County District Attorney's Office, before becoming deputy assistant attorney general in Nassau County in 1999.

He then went on to serve as an assistant attorney general in both Nassau and Suffolk counties.

He was appointed as a family court judge in Bronx County in 2006 by then-New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Justice Merchan has served at the New York County Supreme Court, presiding over criminal matters, since 2009.

"He's a serious jurist, smart and even-tempered," Manhattan defence attorney Ron Kuby told NBC News. "He's not one of those judges who yells at lawyers, and is characterised as a no-nonsense judge. But he's always in control of the courtroom."

Last year, in the case against the Trump Organization, Justice Merchan was adamant that the charges were absolutely not politically motivated.

The organization's lawyer had tried to argue Mr Weisselberg was being targeted because of his association with the former president.

Justice Merchan said that argument had no legal merit.

"I will not allow you in any way to bring up a selective prosecution claim, or claim this is some sort of novel prosecution," Justice Merchan said, according to the BBC's news partner CBS.

After Mr Trump's arraignment hearing, records emerged showing Justice Merchan had donated a total of $35 to Democrats during the 2020 election campaign.

That sum included a $15 donation to Joe Biden's campaign, NBC News reported.

Justice Merchan also gave $10 donations to groups called the "Progressive Turnout Project" and "Stop Republicans".

Individual donors were allowed to donate a maximum of $2,800 to a presidential candidate for the 2020 election cycle.

The donations raised concerns about conflicts of interest among Mr Trump's backers.

New York state follows guidance from the American Bar Association that prohibits judges from "soliciting funds for, paying an assessment to, or making a contribution to a political organisation or candidate".

"The Merchan contribution to Biden, and possibly the one to Stop Republicans, would be forbidden unless there is some other explanation that would allow them," Stephen Gillers, an expert on legal ethics at New York University, told BBC News.

"They would, however, be viewed as trivial, especially given the small sums," Mr Gillers said.

"If there were a complaint, the Commission on Judicial Conduct, which enforces the rules, would remind [Justice] Merchan of the prohibition and that would end it."

But the small donations are unlikely to result in Justice Merchan's removal from the case.

"The contributions would not be a basis for recusal," said Mr Gillers.

Mr Trump, his family members, and his supporters have attacked Justice Merchan and his family members directly in social media posts and in speeches.

They have also attacked the Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, who brought the case.

During the former president's arraignment trial, prosecutors asked Justice Merchan to bear in mind the former president's rhetoric about the people involved in his case.