Trump may receive an ‘unconditional discharge’ in hush money conviction − a constitutional law expert explains what that means

A judge may impose an unusual sentence on President-elect Donald Trump in his criminal hush money case. boonchai wedmakawand/Getty Images by Wayne Unger, Quinnipiac University Donald Trump is set to become the first president of the United States with a felony conviction. On May 30, 2024, a New York County jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. That constituted a Class E felony in the state of New York, when the falsification is committed with an intent to defraud, commit another crime, or to aid or conceal the commission of another crime. Class E felonies carry a potential penalty of up to four years in prison and a fine up to $5,000 for each count. Trial courts reserve discretion, however, to impose a sentence that accounts for other factors, such as the defendant’s criminal history. Trump is set to be sentenced today, Jan. 10, 2025. In recent court filings, Trump sought to get his guilty verdict thrown out, arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision on presidential immunity in criminal prosecutions meant he can’t be found guilty. On July 1, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that the Constitution provides “absolute...