News about trial, juror, and Donald Trump

Juan M. Merchan — The judge presiding over the case. He was also the judge in the Trump Organization's tax fraud trial in 2022 and is overseeing a border wall fraud case against longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon. Merchan has twice denied requests by Trump's lawyers that he step aside from the case.

The building, commonly called the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, is home to the Criminal Court, which handles misdemeanors and some other violations, and the New York County Supreme Court, Criminal Term, where felony cases like Trump's are brought.

The New York judge overseeing Donald Trump's hush money trial will take center stage in the case Monday with jury selection kicking off in the historic criminal prosecution of the former president. New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan is a seasoned jurist who is no stranger to Trump's orbit.