New York Judge Juan Manuel Merchan has presided over criminal cases against former President Donald Trump’s company, its former finance chief and one of Trump's former White House aides.
Now Judge Juan Manuel Merchan is poised to take the historic hush-money prosecution of Trump himself.
If politics make for one headache, another is balancing the need for openness against courtroom security for the former president and others, said Geoffrey Puryear, a former state court judge in Texas."It’s a logistical nightmare, from a judge’s perspective," said Puryear, now a defense lawyer in Lubbock.He got Trump’s case because of a rotation in which judges are assigned to oversee grand juries and any cases that arise from them, according to the court system.
Three years later, Merchan was assigned to a trial court called the Supreme Court in New York. His particular duties now include overseeing a Manhattan mental health court where some defendants get a chance to resolve their cases with treatment and supervision, a program he views as a success story.
Merchan was heavily involved in negotiations that led to Weisselberg’s 2022 guilty plea for skirting taxes on big-dollar job perks, including Manhattan apartments and school tuition. Under the deal, Weisselberg got a five-month jail sentence in exchange for agreeing to testify against the company.After hearing Weisselberg's testimony at trial, Merchan said he wished he could impose a tougher penalty.
The Trump Organization went to trial, saying that the company didn't benefit from Weisselberg's scheme and that Trump and his family knew nothing about it. A jury convicted the company, and Merchan imposed a $1.6 million fine — the legal maximum.
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Who is Juan Merchan, the New York judge handling Trump's case?Judge Juan Manuel Merchan is poised to take the historic hush-money prosecution of Donald Trump himself.
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What to know about Juan Merchan, the judge overseeing Trump's criminal caseThe judge handling Trump's criminal case is Juan Manuel Merchan — a veteran of the New York court system who is no stranger to high-profile prosecutions — particularly those involving Trump and his associates.
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What to know about Juan Merchan, the judge overseeing Trump's criminal caseA veteran of the New York trial court system, Merchan is no stranger to high-profile prosecutions — particularly those involving Donald Trump and his associates.
Read more »
Who is Juan Merchan, the NY judge handling Trump's case?New York Judge Juan Manuel Merchan has presided over criminal cases against former President Donald Trump’s company, its former finance chief and one of Trump's former White House aides
Read more »
What to know about Juan Merchan, the judge overseeing Trump's criminal caseA veteran of the New York trial court system, Merchan is no stranger to high-profile prosecutions — particularly those involving Donald Trump and his associates.
Read more »
Who is Juan Merchan, the NY judge handling Trump's case?New York Judge Juan Manuel Merchan has presided over criminal cases against former President Donald Trump’s company, its former finance chief and one of Trump's former White House aides.
Read more »