Trump's "hush money" trial gets underway today. Here's what to know.

The historic criminal proceedings of erstwhile President Donald Trump is poised to footwear disconnected successful a Manhattan courtroom Monday, erstwhile he will go nan first erstwhile president successful U.S. history to guidelines trial.

The proceedings earlier Judge Juan Merchan are group to move guardant aft Trump made aggregate attempts to hold them, resulting successful a drawstring of losses that grounded to derail nan trial's start.

The prosecution by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg stems from allegations Trump made a "hush money" payment to an big movie prima successful an effort to conceal damaging accusation astir him during nan 2016 election. 

It is nan first of 4 criminal cases involving nan erstwhile president to spell to proceedings and comes arsenic Trump is making a bid to return to nan White House for a 2nd term. He has pleaded not blameworthy to each charges he faces and claims nan prosecutions are politically motivated.

Here's what to cognize astir nan lawsuit arsenic assemblage action gets underway connected Monday:

What is nan lawsuit about, and what is Trump charged with?

Former President Donald Trump attends a pretrial proceeding successful a New York courtroom connected Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. Jefferson Siegel/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images

At nan bosom of this lawsuit is simply a costs made days earlier Trump was elected president successful 2016. His lawyer astatine nan time, Michael Cohen, paid $130,000 to big movie prima Stormy Daniels, whose existent sanction is Stephanie Clifford, successful speech for her soundlessness astir an alleged affair, which Trump denies.

Prosecutors opportunity Cohen was past reimbursed by Trump successful a bid of 12 monthly payments from nan Trump Organization that were logged and characterized arsenic checks for ongoing ineligible services, arsenic opposed to repayments for nan hush money. Trump is charged pinch 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and has pleaded not guilty.

Justice Juan Merchan will explicate nan lawsuit to imaginable jurors pinch these words, according to a tribunal filing:

"The allegations are, successful substance, that Donald Trump falsified business records to conceal an statement pinch others to unlawfully power nan 2016 statesmanlike election. Specifically, it is alleged that Donald Trump made aliases caused mendacious business records to hide nan existent quality of payments made to Michael Cohen, by characterizing them arsenic costs for ineligible services rendered pursuant to a retainer agreement. The People allege that successful fact, nan payments were intended to reimburse Michael Cohen for money he paid to Stephanie Clifford, besides known arsenic Stormy Daniels, successful nan weeks earlier nan statesmanlike predetermination to forestall her from publically revealing specifications astir a past intersexual brushwood pinch Donald Trump."

What's happening Monday?

Judge Juan Merchan's courtroom astatine Manhattan Criminal Court successful New York City connected March 12, 2024. ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

The proceedings formally kicks disconnected connected Monday pinch assemblage selection. More than 500 Manhattan residents have been summoned to look arsenic imaginable jurors successful nan trial. They will beryllium asked to capable retired a shape pinch questions ranging from nan mundane — what jobs they clasp — to nan much pointed, for illustration whether they travel Trump connected societal media.

What do prosecutors opportunity astir nan case?

Bragg said aft Trump was arraigned successful April 2023 that nan halfway of nan lawsuit is that Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging accusation from nan voting nationalist during nan 2016 statesmanlike election."

In a December power interview, Bragg said nan lawsuit is astir "conspiring to corrupt a statesmanlike predetermination and past lying successful New York business records to screen it up."

What has Trump said astir nan case?

Trump has many times accused Bragg of pursuing nan lawsuit for governmental gain, and has sought to necktie nan lawsuit to a broader accusation — without impervious — that his governmental enemies person conspired to usage nan courts against him. He has besides raged against Merchan, whom he has likewise accused of bias.

In a societal media station connected Wednesday, Trump made galore of his emblematic unfounded claims astir nan case, including that it's "an forbidden onslaught connected a Political Opponent," and that he will beryllium "forced to sit, GAGGED, earlier a HIGHLY CONFLICTED & CORRUPT JUDGE, whose hatred for maine has nary bounds."

Trump will beryllium "gagged"? 

Well, not literally. But he is under a gag order limiting what he tin opportunity astir nan trial.

On March 26, Trump was barred from commenting connected imaginable witnesses successful nan case, prospective jurors, tribunal staff, lawyers successful Bragg's agency and nan relatives of immoderate counsel aliases tribunal staffer — but was free to onslaught Bragg and Merchan.

Trump lashed retired astatine nan judge, and successful nan ensuing days focused connected Merchan's big daughter, who useful for a consulting patient that useful pinch Democratic candidates and causes. On April 1, Merchan expanded his gag bid to forestall Trump from making much nationalist comments astir nan judge's family. Merchan wrote that he had imaginable jurors and their families successful mind.

"The mean perceiver must now, aft proceeding [Trump's] caller attacks, tie nan conclusion that if they go progressive successful these proceedings, moreover tangentially, they should interest not only for themselves, but their loved ones," Merchan wrote. "Such concerns will undoubtedly interfere pinch nan adjacent management of justness and constitutes a nonstop onslaught connected nan Rule of Law itself."

Will nan proceedings beryllium live-streamed?

No, location will beryllium nary unrecorded footage aliases audio from nan courtroom, since New York authorities rule prohibits broadcasting criminal proceedings. Photographers will beryllium allowed to seizure images astatine nan commencement of each time of nan trial. 

CBS News will person reporters covering nan proceedings from nan courtroom itself and from an overflow room connected nan aforesaid level successful nan courthouse, wherever location will beryllium a unrecorded feed.

Who are Trump's lawyers?

Todd Blanche arrives astatine Trump Tower successful New York connected Feb. 15, 2024. Michael M Santiago/Getty Images / Getty Images

Trump is represented by Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles and Emil Bove, among others. Blanche is besides starring Trump's defense successful 2 unrelated national criminal cases. Necheles has been an lawyer successful Trump's orbit for years, and represented his institution during a 2022 proceedings successful which 2 of its entities were forced to salary a good aft being convicted of 17 felony counts related to taxation fraud committed by executives.

Where is nan trial?

The proceedings is taking spot astatine nan Manhattan Criminal Court, nan aforesaid courthouse that has been utilized for 8 decades to process cases for thousands of New Yorkers who each twelvemonth travel into interaction pinch nan criminal justness system.

Will Trump be nan trial?

Yes. Defendants successful New York criminal cases are required to be tests unless they use for a waiver from proceedings. Trump has not done so.

Will Trump testify?

Trump told reporters aft a March 25 proceeding that he "would person nary problem testifying," but his lawyers person not said if they intend to telephone him. Pretrial filings successful nan lawsuit bespeak nan 2 sides person sparred complete what topics prosecutors would beryllium allowed to broach if Trump does return nan stand.

How agelong will nan proceedings last?

Court unit and lawyers from some sides person said they expect nan proceedings to past betwixt six and 8 weeks. Proceedings will mostly beryllium held 4 days a week, connected Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, pinch exceptions for holidays.

The prosecution will coming its lawsuit first, followed by nan defense.

If Trump is convicted, tin he beryllium sentenced to prison?

Yes. Each of nan counts against Trump carries a maximum condemnation of 4 years incarceration. Trump would beryllium a first-time, nonviolent offender. The judge would person wide discretion successful imposing a sentence, and could moreover springiness Trump nary situation clip astatine all.