### Judge Postpones Ruling on Dismissing Trump’s Conviction Over Presidential Immunity

The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s Manhattan criminal hush-money case has delayed making a decision on dismissing the conviction on presidential immunity grounds. Judge Juan Merchan informed Trump's lawyers and prosecutors that his ruling would be postponed until November 19 after both parties requested a delay.

Merchan’s decision was expected on Tuesday, but he chose to delay it, maintaining the delay until the mentioned date. This postponement continues a series of delays that have plagued Trump's case, culminating in his conviction earlier this year on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an effort to influence the 2016 election. The guilty verdict was delivered on May 30 after less than 12 hours of jury deliberation, marking the first criminal trial against a current or former U.S. president.

In the wake of the verdict, Joe Biden's campaign, who withdrew his re-election bid, emphasized the message that "no one is above the law." Michael Tyler, Biden’s communications director, expressed that Trump erroneously believed he would escape consequences for breaking the law for personal gain.

Prosecutors presented Trump as recording reimbursements to his lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels as "legal expenses," a maneuver deemed to hide breaches of New York state election laws. These falsifications were considered efforts to advance Trump's 2016 campaign illegally, as the $130,000 payout far exceeded the individual contribution limit of $2,700.

Despite the trial, Trump's approval ratings remained unaffected, and he secured the Republican nomination, eventually winning the election against Kamala Harris on November 5. Initially, Trump faced sentencing on July 10, but following a Supreme Court ruling on July 1 granting sitting presidents broad immunity for official acts, Trump’s legal team sought delays to challenge the conviction based on this decision. Merchan agreed to consider the legal complexities, deferring the proceedings first to September 18, and again to November 26 to avoid influencing the upcoming presidential election in which Trump was a candidate.

On November 10, prosecutors revealed that Trump’s team proposed a stay to review the implications of the presidential election results, his forthcoming certification as president-elect on January 6, 2025, and his inauguration on January 20, 2025. Recognizing the unprecedented circumstances, they requested time until November 19 to evaluate appropriate steps forward. Both parties concurred with this request.

Trump’s attorneys argued there are compelling reasons for a stay and eventual dismissal of the case. Trump's electoral victory significantly impacted his other legal battles. Special Prosecutor Jack Smith is concluding the federal election interference and classified documents cases, while the state-level election case in Fulton County, Georgia, is on hold due to revelations about an affair involving District Attorney Fani Willis. Proceedings in that case are expected to stall until 2029, if not dismissed outright upon appeal.