In a pre-trial hearing on Friday, a judge overseeing the trial of Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, delivered a partial win for the defense by ruling that prosecutors cannot refer to his upcoming California tax trial, child support proceedings in Arkansas, or his discharge from the Navy. However, the judge allowed prosecutors to bring up Biden's drug use, excerpts from his memoir "Beautiful Things," and a summary of data from his phone and iPad.

The trial, set to begin on June 3, centers around Biden's gun charges, as he faces three counts related to possession of a firearm while using narcotics. Biden, who pleaded not guilty, is accused of inaccurately filling out a form when purchasing a revolver in 2018, where he indicated that he was not using illegal drugs.

During the hearing, Judge Maryellen Noreika granted the defense's motion to exclude statements made by Biden during a July 2023 hearing in which an earlier plea deal collapsed. Noreika also blocked prosecutors from suggesting that the evidence shows Biden leading an "extravagant lifestyle." However, she deemed drug-related activity as potentially relevant to the case.

As the trial nears, the government plans to call twelve witnesses, including Biden's ex-wife Kathleen Buhle and his late brother's widow, Hallie Olivere Biden. Prosecutors also expressed their intention to call an employee from the gun shop where Biden purchased the revolver, while Biden's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, mentioned his desire to call the shop's owner as a witness.

While some tense moments occurred during discussions between the attorneys and the judge regarding jury instructions, the hearing ended with a lighthearted atmosphere as logistical matters were addressed. Notably, Lowell requested that Biden be allowed to freely move around the courtroom, a privilege not always granted to defendants. Biden chuckled in response.

Although Hunter Biden's legal issues have been a target of criticism from the right, the Republican-led impeachment inquiry did not find any evidence implicating President Biden. The president's advisers will closely monitor the trial for any references to him and decide whether to respond in real-time, while the president himself is expected to follow the proceedings as a concerned parent rather than as an incumbent seeking re-election.