In a significant development, a judge has decided to delay the sentencing of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records until after the November presidential election. This decision means that voters will cast their ballots without knowing whether the Republican nominee could potentially face jail time for his conviction.

New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan granted the request from Trump's attorneys to postpone the sentencing, which had originally been scheduled for September 18. The judge changed the date to November 26, acknowledging the exceptional circumstances surrounding the case - the first-ever sentencing of a former U.S. president who is simultaneously running for the highest office in the country.

In a statement, Merchan highlighted the uniqueness of the situation and emphasized the weight of the sentencing decision for a defendant found guilty by a unanimous jury of his peers. The judge recognized that this matter occupies a distinct place in the nation's history, with the court presiding over it from start to finish.

As a result of the date change, Trump will potentially face the sentencing as either a just-defeated candidate or as president-elect. The conviction stems from Trump's attempt to conceal a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, made just weeks before the 2016 election, concerning an alleged sexual encounter with Trump a decade prior. The jury determined that Trump had broken the law by misclassifying the reimbursements for the payment as routine legal fees, aiming to conceal the information from the public.

While Trump faces the possibility of up to four years in prison, legal experts suggest that actual incarceration is unlikely, given that he is a first-time offender. Trump's legal team is exploring various avenues to challenge the guilty verdict, including relying on a recent Supreme Court decision that grants presidents broad protection for actions taken while in office.

This case is one out of four criminal indictments against Trump as he seeks the presidency for the third time. Trump's legal strategy in all these cases has been to seek delays until after the election, and he has successfully postponed the other trials through appeals. Only the New York case has gone to trial, with the others expected to be delayed until at least 2025, if not indefinitely.

Although the Supreme Court immunity ruling initially related to Trump's federal election obstruction case in D.C., his lawyers have argued that it also applies to his case in New York state court. They maintain that certain evidence should have been excluded during the trial and grand jury presentation based on this decision. Trump's legal team plans to appeal the conviction on traditional grounds as well, asserting that the verdict was influenced by flawed testimony from a witness with a history of dishonesty.

While supporting the importance of respecting the jury's verdict, Merchan acknowledged the legal rights of the defendant and the significance of the upcoming presidential election in his decision to delay the sentencing. The judge emphasized the need for a sentencing hearing that upholds Trump's constitutional rights.

In the midst of these developments, Donald Trump remains eligible to campaign and serve as president if elected. However, he would not have the power to pardon himself. The reaction to the verdict has seen Trump continuing to assert his innocence, denouncing the trial as rigged and expressing confidence that the true verdict will come from the voters on Election Day.

This is a developing story, and updates are expected as the situation unfolds.