In a four-page letter, Judge Juan Merchan announced that he would delay Donald Trump’s sentencing in his New York criminal case until November 26, after the 2024 presidential election. The decision comes after Trump’s lawyers requested a delay, citing the need to avoid any appearance of influencing the election’s outcome.

Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to an adult-film star. The sentencing has been on hold due to Trump’s lawyers’ efforts to have the conviction tossed based on the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.

Merchan noted that the upcoming presidential election was a factor in his decision to delay sentencing, stating that he wanted to avoid any appearance of affecting the election’s outcome. He also acknowledged the historic nature of the case and the need for a sentencing hearing that respects Trump’s constitutional rights.

The delay marks another development in Trump’s criminal cases, which have been ongoing since his indictment in 2023. The only indictment that went to trial this year was the New York hush money case, which ended in a guilty verdict in May.

Trump’s lawyers have argued that the indictment should be dismissed or the conviction vacated due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity. Prosecutors have responded that the conviction should stand, citing overwhelming evidence presented at trial.

The delay means that Trump’s criminal conviction will not be a dominant issue in the final weeks of the presidential campaign. If sentenced, Trump could face up to four years in prison, but the judge may choose a lesser sentence.