Former President Donald Trump has filed an appeal against Judge Juan Merchan’s rulings that dismissed his efforts to overturn his conviction in the hush money case. Trump’s legal team is also requesting a stay on his sentencing, currently scheduled for Friday, January 10, 2025.
The appeal coincides with a significant moment for Trump, as he is set to be certified as the winner of the 2024 presidential election. This comes exactly four years after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss.
Judge Rejects Immunity Argument
On Friday, Judge Merchan rejected Trump’s argument that his conviction should be dismissed on the grounds of his re-election as president. While Merchan confirmed that Trump would not face jail time, the sentencing in the hush money case remains on the docket.
Trump’s lawyers contend that sentencing should be postponed until all appeals concerning presidential immunity are resolved. Their legal filing asserts that the case is baseless and should never have been brought to court.
“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,” the filing states.
The Hush Money Case
In May 2024, Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. These charges stem from payments made to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to reimburse a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The payment was allegedly made to prevent Daniels from disclosing an affair with Trump before the 2016 election—a claim Trump denies.
The case has seen multiple delays, with the initial sentencing set for July 2024. It was postponed to allow the Supreme Court to rule on matters of presidential immunity. Last month, however, Judge Merchan dismissed Trump’s renewed argument for immunity and moved forward with the case.
Trump’s legal team has asked Judge Merchan to respond to their request for a stay by Monday afternoon. The appeal and efforts to delay sentencing reflect Trump’s broader legal strategy to challenge the charges using his position as president-elect.
As the sentencing date looms, the case remains a focal point of legal and political scrutiny, raising questions about the balance between presidential responsibilities and accountability under the law.
