Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court

We’re just getting started for the day.

Justice Juan Merchan says there were “a couple of issues that came up over the weekend”.

He says it’s become apparent that there won’t be time for closing arguments tomorrow.

Instead, they will take place next Tuesday, and charges will likely be given to the jury after that.

“It was either have a long break now, or have a long break then, and unfortunately, the calendar is what it is,” Merchan said.

Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court

Donald Trump has just entered the courtroom followed by a large entourage including his legal spokesperson, Alina Habba, his son, Eric Trump, law professor Alan Dershowitz and multiple Republican lawmakers.

Chuck Zito, an actor and the former president of the New York chapter of the Hells Angels is also here with Trump.

Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court

Prosecutors have just walked into court for the day, carrying their usual big boxes of files.

We can hear Donald Trump speaking faintly to reporters in the hallway, apparently accompanied by law professor Alan Dershowitz today.

Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York

Image source, Getty Images

White collar criminal defence lawyer Seth Waxman told me defendants in criminal cases - in “normal circumstances” - are not likely to testify.

But this is no normal trial.

Waxman says it’s “highly unlikely” Trump takes the stand. If he did, Waxman says the former president's history of alleged lies and “improper conduct” could open Trump up to new lines of attack from the prosecution.

“Things that the judge may have properly kept out at the beginning of the trial could suddenly now be triggered and be deemed admissible and fair game,” Waxman says.

But Trump is “unlike any other criminal defendant,” Waxman says, adding that the former president may have his own agenda for taking the stand - even if it goes “against all convention”.

“Not really because he hopes to convince the jury of much, but rather to plead his case to the American people… a political thing,” Waxman suggests.

But the Waxman also says Trump can already do this in the court hallways in front of cameras.

“I don't know why you take the stand and do that, especially because it's not televised.”

Image source, EPA

From 2006-2018, Michael Cohen was Donald Trump’s personal lawyer.

But more than that, Cohen has testified that he was also Trump’s fixer, and part of his job was to “catch and kill” potentially damaging stories about Trump in the lead up to the 2016 presidential election.

During this time, he got wind of a claim being made by Stormy Daniels, an adult film star who says she had sex with Trump in 2006.

Trump denies having any sexual encounter with Daniels, but he has admitted to buying her silence.

In 2016, Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to keep her claim quiet.

Prosecutors say the invoices for the payments to reimburse Cohen were illegally mislabelled in Trump’s business records.

So while this case has, at times, become quite salacious and explicit - at the heart of it is 34 counts of falsifying business records.

Trump says he is innocent of all charges.

Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court

Good morning from Manhattan court.

We were seated a bit early because court is starting ahead of the usual schedule today, about 08:45 local time (13:45 BST).

Before Michael Cohen takes the stand for the fifth day, we will reportedly be hearing some objections to exhibits which could be entered into evidence.

If Cohen finishes his testimony today, there's a chance the jury could begin deliberations before the week's end.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Good morning from 100 Centre Street in New York, where we may be entering the final days of the Trump trial.

The public and media lines to get into the courthouse are as long as ever, with star witness Michael Cohen expected to take the stand for his final day of testimony.

“Is this the line to get in?” one woman asked an officer just now. It is, he nodded.

The woman looked at the lengthy expanse of curious New Yorkers and said, somewhat dejectedly: “Okay”.

Court starts a little early today.

Justice Juan Merchan indicated he might extend our hours as a holiday weekend approaches, and the trial reaches the final stages.

We could soon see closing statements and jury deliberations.

Everyone - press, police, court staff, and likely the parties involved - are prepared for an intense week ahead.