In the highly anticipated hush-money criminal case involving former US President Donald Trump, delays and doubts are swirling around the trial set to take place in Manhattan state court. Originally scheduled to be the first criminal trial for Trump, the case now faces uncertainties and questions surrounding the reliability of a key prosecution witness.

Trump's legal team, led by defense attorneys, has requested Judge Juan Merchan to either delay the case for at least 90 days or dismiss it entirely, citing alleged violations in the discovery process. They claim that Manhattan state prosecutors failed to adhere to legal requirements in sharing evidence with them on time. The evidence in question pertains to the investigation of Trump's former fixer, Michael Cohen.

The allegations against Trump involve diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars to Cohen in an attempt to conceal stories of marital infidelity, falsely claiming them as legal costs in business documents. He is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, a class-E felony. Prosecutors assert that Cohen paid $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels and conspired with the National Enquirer publisher to provide $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal to suppress their accounts of alleged liaisons with Trump, which he denies. Trump's company allegedly repaid Cohen $420,000.

Complicating Cohen's role in the case is a recent suggestion by a federal judge that he may have committed perjury under oath. This raises doubts about the credibility of his testimony and impacts the prosecution's case against Trump.

Trump's defense team alleges widespread misconduct by the prosecution, describing the charges as false and unsupported. They claim that recently disclosed documents from the federal investigation of hush-money payments include exculpatory evidence favoring the defense. They argue that these documents were not shared in a timely manner, hindering their ability to prepare for trial.

The prosecution, represented by the office of district attorney Alvin Bragg, disagrees with the defense's claims. They contend that they have complied with discovery law and provided the defense with the relevant documents. They assert that Trump's team caused delays by waiting until January to request additional Cohen-related materials from federal prosecutors.

Both sides will present their arguments before Judge Merchan, who will determine if any blame is warranted and decide the next course of action. Legal experts suggest that Trump's chances for dismissal are slim, but another delay in the trial is plausible. Defense attorneys commonly seek extensions to allow for a thorough review of documents and investigation.

The recent disclosure of previously withheld documents poses a challenge to the defense, but it is unlikely to result in a dismissal of the case. Some experts believe that the blame might not be placed solely on state prosecutors, especially given that Trump was aware of ongoing investigations conducted by the US attorney for the Southern District of New York.

As the hush-money trial continues to face obstacles and uncertainties, it remains to be seen how the court proceedings will unfold and whether they will impact Trump's legal battles.