TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Jan 10, 2025

President-elect Donald Trump was found guilty in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records. Justice Juan Merchan today sentenced Trump to an "unconditional discharge," in the case, making Trump the first U.S. president to take office with a felony criminal conviction, Reuters reports. Merchan said he was imposing the sentence sparing Trump jail, a fine or probation because the U.S. Constitution shields presidents from criminal prosecution. But he said the protections afforded to the office "do not reduce the seriousness of a crime or justify its commission in any way." The sentencing took place after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene, SCOTUSblog reports. Trump has pledged to appeal the conviction.