Donald Trump Expected to Appeal Guilty Verdict, Which Could Delay His Sentence

Donald Trump is near-certain to appeal his judgment after being found guilty of 34 felony counts on Thursday, May 30, which could delay his sentence from beginning until the court weighs in.

Trump was convicted of falsifying business records more than a year after his Manhattan indictment was unsealed. The anonymous 12-person jury that determined Trump's fate deliberated for two days before reaching a unanimous verdict.

When the verdict was read, Trump's legal team requested that the judge overrule the jury's finding and acquit him — a motion that was immediately shut down.

The former president spoke to reporters for less than three minutes on his way out of the courthouse, dismissing the trial as "rigged" and vowing to "fight to the end."

With the jury's conviction, Trump now faces up to four years in prison, though he is also eligible for a lesser sentence of probation and a fine. His sentence is at the discretion of New York Judge Juan Merchan, who is scheduled to reveal his determination when they return to court on July 11.

To appeal a criminal conviction in New York, the offender — or their attorney — must file a notice of appeal within 30 days of the judgment, according to the NY Courts website. After the court receives the appeal and a transcript of the trial, they will file a Return on Appeal and the process begins.

There is no set time for how long an appeal takes, and Trump can request that the court wait to begin his sentence until an Appeals Court reaches a decision. It's possible that the delay would get him to Election Day unscathed.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for allegedly mislabeling hush money–related payments as legal expenses on financial documents. 

The prosecution argued that Trump covered up a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election so she'd keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter. 

Claiming that he did so to conceal a broader conspiracy to sway the 2016 presidential election, the district attorney elevated the charges from misdemeanors to felonies.

The Manhattan indictment made Trump the first-ever sitting or former U.S. president to face criminal charges, and its subsequent trial made him the nation's first felon president.

Trump is still caught up in three other ongoing criminal cases, though none have gone to trial yet, and they are unlikely to before Election Day. One of the cases was scheduled to begin on May 20, but has been postponed indefinitely.