The Democrat-connected judge presiding over the New York hush money trial of former President Donald Trump acknowledged that he received a request to excuse the former President from the court on May 17 so that he could attend his son Barron Trump‘s high school graduation in Florida. New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan said he wouldn’t immediately rule on the request, adding: “It really depends on if we are on time and where we are in the trial.”
Earlier on Monday, Merchan announced the trial schedule, noting that the court would work through lunch on April 22 and April 23 — the first two days of the Jewish celebration of Passover. He added that the court would not convene on the last two days of Passover, April 29 and April 30.
In addition to former President Trump’s request to attend his son’s graduation, one of District Attorney Alvin Bragg‘s prosecution team members requested the court adjourn on June 3 so they may attend their child’s graduation. Aside from the requested adjournments and court schedule around Passover, the judge announced that the trial would not convene on Wednesdays.
The initial stage of the trial, jury selection, began on Monday. That process is expected to take upwards of two weeks, meaning the argument stage of the trial won’t start until the end of April or early May.
Judge Merchan recently expanded a gag order on former President Trump, effectively barring him from mentioning the judge’s family members and those of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The former President has used social media to draw attention to the fact that Judge Merchan’s daughter has numerous ties to prominent Democrat politicians, including New York Attorney General Letitia James.