Trump Is Heading to Court. Here's What to Expect

Trump, former President, will appear in Manhattan Courtroom Tuesday to face charges of falsifying business records during a hush money investigation. This is the first time a president has been charged with a crime.

Trump has repeatedly attacked the investigation and denied any wrongdoing. He called the indictment "political persecution" and predicted that it would harm Democrats in 2024. Trump's lawyers claim that the former president did not commit any crime. We will vigorously defend this political prosecution in court.

What to Expect:

WHAT IS THE PLAN?

Trump arrived in New York via his Mar-a-Lago estate. He is expected to leave Trump Tower Tuesday to make the four-mile drive to Manhattan's criminal courthouse. There he will face a judge for his arrest at 2:15 p.m. ET.

Will there be a 'PERP WALK?

Perp walks are when criminal suspects are taken out of a precinct in handcuffs and driven to the courthouse. Trump will not be visiting a police station. Trump has made arrangements to surrender with the district attorney's offices and will go straight to court without stopping at any police station. If he doesn't want to be seen, it is unlikely that anyone will see him enter court. There are tunnels, side doors, and underground entrances all around Manhattan's courthouse.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SURRENDERS GO?

Trump will be booked. This is what it means: Before computers, every criminal suspect's information was kept in a large book that court officials kept. It's all now computerized but the process remains largely unchanged. The court officers will record Trump's full name and details, including his birthdate, age, height, weight, and gender. They will check to see if there are any outstanding warrants against Trump. They will take his fingerprints, but they won't ink his fingers. This is done by computers these days. Each fingertip will be rolled by officers on a computerized system that records the prints. The officer may also take the photo, which is known as a "mug shot". This process can take up to four hours in New York. He then goes before a judge.

WHAT HAPPENS IN HEARING?

An arraignment refers to a hearing where the indictment is unformally sealed and the charges are read aloud. Trump may request that the public reading be waived. When asked his plea, he will respond with a 'guilty' answer or 'not guilty'. Trump's lawyers, Joe Tacopina and Susan Necheles, and Todd Blanche, will collaborate with the judge's office and district attorney's offices to determine a date when he'll be back in court. Judge has granted permission to news photographers to take photographs of Trump at the beginning of his arraignment.

WILL HE BE ARRESTED

After he has been fingerprinted and processed, it's technically true that he is under arrest and in custody. It won't look the same as it does on television's 'Law & Order'. Trump will not be handcuffed or placed in jail cells. This is partly because parts of the courthouse are being cleared for his arraignment. Some defendants may not be handcuffed prior to their appearance before a judge.

WHAT IF A MUG SHOT IS AVAILABLE, WILL IT BE MADE PUBLISHED?

New York City's mug shots are not generally made public. The law enforcement agency making the arrest takes the mug shot. In some cases, a judge may make the photo public to respond to a public records battle. It may also be leaked.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON AT THE COURTHOUSE TUESDAY?

Officials from the courthouse at 100 Centre St., Lower Manhattan are trying to restrict what is going on there Tuesday. Some streets will be closed by police and tight security will prevail. Security in New York City is managed by the New York Police Department, while security within the court is handled by state court officers.

WILL TRUMP GET OUT OF THERE

It is likely that yes. New York's bail laws were overhauled in recent years. Trump would be released on bail without any bail, as the expected charges against him do not require that bail be set. It is possible Judge Juan Merchan will decide Trump is a flight hazard and place him in custody with or without bail. Trump's lawyers argue that Trump's connections to the U.S. are strong and that he should be allowed to flee because of his status as a presidential candidate.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?

The judge and the legal teams will determine the dates and deadlines for discovery. In which case, the district attorney's office must hand over all information to Trump's attorneys. This process can take several months. Tacopina stated that he must first read the indictment and do research before deciding what to do about a change of venue, or motions to dismiss. However, it is very common to file one.