A New York court has delayed all current deadlines in the hush money case against President-elect Donald Trump, including the sentencing set for November 26 regarding his 34 felony convictions.

Judge Juan Merchan was expected to rule on Tuesday about the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity, which could potentially lead to the dismissal of Trump’s felony convictions. However, the announcement of a deadline extension until November 19 means that this ruling will not be released this week.

It remains uncertain how the new pause affects the possibility of Trump being sentenced in the future. Merchan has asked prosecutors for an update on the case in light of Trump’s recent election win.

On May 30, Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to hush money payments intended to keep porn star Stormy Daniels quiet about an alleged sexual encounter prior to the 2016 presidential election.

In comments to YSL News, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung asserted that American voters have given Trump a clear mandate following his recent election.

“It is clear that Americans desire a swift end to the misuse of our judicial system, including this case, which should not have been pursued, so we can, as President Trump stated in his historic victory speech, unite our nation and work together for the greater good,” Cheung noted.

The Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Prosecution and Trump’s legal team concur on pause

Trump’s legal team requested on Friday for a pause to the proceedings, considering how Trump’s recent electoral victory might influence the case, according to an email from prosecutor Matthew Colangelo to the court on Sunday.

Colangelo stated that the prosecution agrees to this pause as they seek to determine the next steps that would balance the jury’s guilty verdict with the interests of the presidency.

Trump attorney Emil Bove replied, emphasizing that there are “strong reasons” to suspend current deadlines and potentially dismiss the case altogether.

The email communications, including a response from Judge Merchan’s law clerk approving the pause, were made public on Tuesday.

Impact of Trump’s election on criminal cases

If Trump does eventually face a sentencing hearing, Judge Merchan has several options available, which could include no sentence, community service, or incarceration.

There remains an unresolved legal question regarding whether Judge Merchan can impose any limitations that would apply during Trump’s presidency or in the months leading up to taking office. The scenario of a president-elect facing sentencing has never arisen, so there is no precedent for court rulings on this matter.

Nevertheless, Trump’s recent victory greatly benefits him in terms of his criminal cases. The Justice Department is currently assessing how to move forward with its two federal cases in light of his election. According to Justice Department policy, a sitting president cannot be prosecuted under the Constitution.

While this situation is unprecedented, many legal scholars believe that both state and federal prosecutors would be unable to pursue charges against a sitting president.

This would likely result in the delay of the Georgia state case against Trump for alleged election interference in 2020, pushing it beyond his next presidential term and creating uncertain outcomes for his post-conviction proceedings in New York.