Donald Trump’s hush money case sentencing set for January 10, judge signals no jail

US President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced on January 10 in the criminal case in which he was convicted on charges involving hush money paid to a porn star, but is unlikely to face jail time, a judge said on Friday.

Justice Juan Merchan’s ruling means Trump will be required to appear at a court hearing just 10 days before his January 20 inauguration – an unprecedented scenario in US history. Before Trump, no US president – former or sitting – had been charged with or convicted of a crime.

The judge said Trump, 78, may appear at his sentencing either in person or virtually.

He wrote that he was not inclined to sentence Trump to jail, and that a sentence of “unconditional discharge” – meaning no custody, monetary fine, or probation – would be “the most viable solution.”

In a statement, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said there should be no sentencing in the case.

“This lawless case should have never been brought, and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed,” Cheung said.

Merchan announced his plan for the sentencing in denying Trump’s motion to dismiss the case due to his presidential election victory.

Trump’s defence lawyers had argued that having the case hanging over him during his presidency would impede his ability to govern.

Merchan rejected that argument, writing that setting aside the jury’s verdict would “undermine the Rule of Law in immeasurable ways.”

“Defendant’s status as President-elect does not require the drastic and ‘rare’ application of (the court’s) authority to grant the (dismissal) motion,” Merchan wrote in the decision.