What’s next for Trump after pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts

When will he appear in court next? What is the discovery process? Your questions and more answered.

Former President Donald Trump at the defense table with his legal team in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday. (Seth Wenig/AP)
9 min

During a historic arraignment hearing Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, becoming the first former president to be charged with a crime.

Now, the legal proceedings continue as New York prosecutors set out to build a case and convince a jury that Trump committed these crimes. In turn, Trump and his legal team will have opportunities to persuade the judge and jury that he is innocent. It’s a process that could stretch out for months — or years.

Here is everything you need to know about what happens next in the legal process and what to expect along the way.

More on the Trump NY indictment

The latest: Former president Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York is scheduled for March 2024. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts stemming from 2016 hush-money payments, the first criminal charges for any former U.S. president.

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 and how the indictment process will work.

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.

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