As per CNN, Judge Juan Merchan will preside over the criminal arraignment of former US President Donald Trump, scheduled to take place in New York on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Judge Merchan, who has been described as "tough" yet fair, has previously sentenced Trump's close confident Allen Weisselberg to prison, presided over the Trump Organization tax fraud trial, and overseen former adviser Steve Bannon's criminal fraud case. He has also presided over other high-profile cases, including the "soccer mom madam" trial and the case of a Senegalese man who raped and murdered his girlfriend. He is credited with having helped create the Manhattan Mental Health Court, where he has earned a reputation for "compassionate" rulings that give defendants second chances. Trump has been critical of Judge Merchan on social media.