It feels like a lifetime ago that the headlines were screaming about a "guilty" verdict in a Manhattan courtroom. But here we are in January 2026, and the dust still hasn't settled. If you've been following the trump appeal 34 convictions saga, you know it’s become one of the most tangled legal knots in American history.
Donald Trump isn't just a former president anymore; he’s back in the Oval Office. And yet, he carries the title of "convicted felon" for those 34 counts of falsifying business records. Most people thought once he was inaugurated, the whole thing would just... poof... disappear.
It didn't.
What happened to the sentencing?
Let's get the big question out of the way first. People keep asking if the President is going to jail. The short answer? No.
On January 10, 2025—just days before he was sworn in for his second term—Judge Juan Merchan handed down a sentence of unconditional discharge. Basically, it means the conviction stays on his record, but there’s no prison time, no fines, and no probation. It was a move to "ensure finality," as Merchan put it, allowing the President to actually do his job without a parole officer breathing down his neck.
But for Trump's team, "no jail" wasn't the win. The win they want is a total wipeout of the verdict.
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The Core of the Trump Appeal 34 Convictions
The legal team, now led by heavy hitters like Robert Giuffra Jr., filed a massive 111-page brief with the New York Appellate Division, First Department. They aren't just saying he's innocent; they're saying the whole trial was "tainted" from the start.
Here is what they are actually arguing in the trump appeal 34 convictions case:
- The "Official Acts" Problem: This is the big one. Remember that Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity? Trump’s lawyers argue that the jury saw evidence they never should have seen—specifically testimony from former White House staffers like Hope Hicks and tweets sent while he was President.
- The Biased Judge Argument: They’ve been banging this drum since day one. They claim Judge Merchan should have recused himself because of small political donations and his daughter’s work for Democratic consultants.
- The "Zombie" Felony: Falsifying business records is normally a misdemeanor in New York. To make it a felony, prosecutors had to prove it was done to hide another crime. Trump’s team argues the prosecution was way too vague about what that second crime actually was.
- Venue Trouble: They still insist a Manhattan jury—in a borough that voted overwhelmingly against him—could never be impartial.
Why the immunity ruling changed everything
When the Supreme Court decided in Trump v. United States that presidents have broad immunity for "official acts," it threw a wrench into the Manhattan case.
Judge Merchan tried to head this off by ruling that the evidence used at trial was about "unofficial" or personal conduct. He basically said, "Sure, he was in the White House when he signed some of these checks, but he was acting as a private citizen paying back a personal lawyer."
Trump's appeal says that's nonsense. They argue the Supreme Court was clear: you can't even use official acts as evidence to prove a private crime. If the appeals court agrees that even a "sliver" of the evidence was protected, the whole conviction could be tossed.
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Where the case stands right now (January 2026)
Honestly, it’s a waiting game. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, led by Alvin Bragg, is fighting tooth and nail to keep the conviction alive. They argue the evidence was "overwhelming" and that any small errors were "harmless."
We are currently waiting for the Appellate Division to schedule oral arguments. This isn't a quick process. In New York, these things can take a year or more. If the mid-level court upholds the conviction, you can bet your house that the case is headed to the New York Court of Appeals (the state's highest court) and then likely back to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Is a reversal actually likely?
Legal experts are split. Some say the New York appeals courts are historically hesitant to overturn jury verdicts, especially unanimous ones. Others point to the recent reversal of Harvey Weinstein's New York conviction as proof that these courts are getting stricter about what kind of "prior bad acts" evidence is allowed in front of a jury.
Plus, the current political reality is weird. You have a sitting President whose Deputy Attorney General (Todd Blanche) was his lead defense lawyer in this very case. It's a conflict-of-interest nightmare that makes every court filing look like a political manifesto.
Real-world impact of the appeal
While the lawyers argue, the "convicted felon" label continues to haunt the administration's optics. It doesn't legally stop him from being President, but it’s a constant talking point for his critics.
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What you should watch for next:
- The First Department Ruling: Look for a decision sometime in mid-2026. If they order a new trial, it’s a massive win for Trump because a trial can't realistically happen while he’s in office.
- Federal Court Intervention: Trump is still trying to move the whole thing to federal court. If he succeeds, he might try to use the DOJ to drop the case entirely—though it's a state case, so that's a legal longshot.
- The Supreme Court’s "Shadow Docket": Don't be surprised if an emergency petition lands on the Supreme Court's desk if a New York court tries to push for more aggressive actions.
The trump appeal 34 convictions isn't just about hush money anymore. It’s a test of whether a state can make a conviction stick against a sitting President, and the answer will likely redefine executive power for the next century.
If you're looking for a simple ending, you won't find one here. The legal machinery moves slowly, and with the highest office in the land involved, every gear is grinding. Stay tuned for the oral arguments later this year—that’s when we’ll see which way the wind is blowing.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Track the Docket: Follow the New York Unified Court System's public portal for the First Department to see when oral arguments are officially calendared.
- Review the Immunity Ruling: Re-read the syllabus of Trump v. United States (2024) to understand the "official acts" distinction that forms the backbone of this appeal.
- Monitor State vs. Federal Jurisdictions: Watch for any new filings in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals regarding Trump's attempt to "remove" the case from New York state control.