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Former president Donald Trump sits with his lawyer Susan Necheles in the New York courtroom Monday. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Live updates Trump’s New York hush money trial to begin April 15

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New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan said Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial would begin April 15, rejecting calls from Trump’s legal team to delay the case.  
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The trial originally had been scheduled to start today, March 25. Merchan delayed that date once prosecutors turned over the newly available potential evidence. Prosecutors subsequently argued that no more than 300 pages of the newly released documents are significant to the Trump case, in which the former president is accused of using his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, to pay for the silence of adult-film star Stormy Daniels about an alleged past sexual liaison.
The hearing fell on the same day as a key deadline in another Trump case. Trump was initially ordered to pay cash or a bond of more than $450 million to keep authorities from seizing his assets while he appeals a civil judgment. But an appeals court ruled Monday he can stave off enforcement if he comes up with $175 million within 10 days.
Subscribe to The Trump Trials, our weekly email newsletter on Donald Trump’s four criminal cases.
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The trial originally had been scheduled to start today, March 25. Merchan delayed that date once prosecutors turned over the newly available potential evidence. Prosecutors subsequently argued that no more than 300 pages of the newly released documents are significant to the Trump case, in which the former president is accused of using his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, to pay for the silence of adult-film star Stormy Daniels about an alleged past sexual liaison.
The hearing fell on the same day as a key deadline in another Trump case. Trump was initially ordered to pay cash or a bond of more than $450 million to keep authorities from seizing his assets while he appeals a civil judgment. But an appeals court ruled Monday he can stave off enforcement if he comes up with $175 million within 10 days.
Subscribe to The Trump Trials, our weekly email newsletter on Donald Trump’s four criminal cases.
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Trump New York hush money case

The latest: The judge overseeing former president Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial in New York said the case would go to trial April 15. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts stemming from 2016 payments.

What is the case about? The investigation involves a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult-film actress, during the 2016 presidential campaign. It’s one of many ongoing investigations involving Trump. Here are some of the key people in the case.

What are the charges? Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Falsifying business records is a felony in New York when there is an “intent to defraud” that includes an intent to “commit another crime or to aid or conceal” another crime. Here’s the full text of the Trump indictment.

Can Trump still run for president? While it has never been attempted by a candidate from a major party before, Trump is allowed to run for president while under indictment — or even if he is convicted of a crime. Here’s how Trump’s indictment could impact the 2024 election.