Judge Juan Merchan to Preside Over Arraignment and Potential Trial of Former President Donald Trump: Who is He?

Former President Donald Trump is expected to be arraigned and potentially face trial with Judge Juan Merchan presiding, a well-respected veteran jurist known for his stern yet compassionate reputation.

Judge Juan Merchan, a veteran jurist known for his stern yet compassionate reputation, is expected to preside over the arraignment and potential trial of former President Donald Trump.

Who is Judge Juan Merchan?

Judge Juan Merchan, a veteran jurist known for his stern yet compassionate reputation, is expected to preside over the arraignment and potential trial of former President Donald Trump.

Merchan is a serious, smart, and even-tempered judge who is always in control of the courtroom, according to Ron Kuby, a longtime defense lawyer in Manhattan, as reported by NBC News. Merchan has a wonderful temperament, strong ethics, and thorough knowledge of the law, according to Barry Kamins, a former New York judge turned defense lawyer.

Trump slammed Merchan’s handling of the Trump Organization’s recent criminal tax fraud prosecution. However, according to a report by The Guardian, Nicholas Gravante Jr., who represented Weisselberg in those plea talks, described Merchan as practical, efficient, a real listener, well-prepared, and a man who kept his word.

Merchan’s Background And Appointment

Merchan moved to the United States from Bogotá, Colombia, when he was six. He grew up in Queens, New York, and worked various jobs, including carrying groceries for tips, washing dishes at a diner, and working as a night manager of a hotel, before earning a business degree from Baruch College in 1990 and a law degree from Hofstra University in 1994.

A report by Reuters highlighted that Merchan worked In the Manhattan district attorney’s office for five years before taking a job at the state attorney general’s office, and both offices would eventually be involved in a joint investigation of Trump’s finances about a dozen years later. Merchan was appointed a judge in Bronx family court in 2006 by then-New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and was named an acting state Supreme Court justice in 2009, overseeing felony criminal cases.