No, the appeals have not produced new lawsuits or investigations. They seek to overturn the existing New York conviction, which stands in state court meanwhile. The hush-money case means the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records tied to concealment of a payment before the 2016 election. For readers, the practical issue is whether the conviction survives appeal, not whether a new case has started.
Table of Contents
- What the jury decided and what the sentence left in place
- What the appeals are asking courts to undo
- Why the move to federal court failed
- What to track instead of a new case
What the jury decided and what the sentence left in place
A Manhattan jury on May 30, 2024 convicted Donald Trump of 34 felony counts for concealing a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels through former lawyer Michael Cohen, the Associated Press reported in its account of the rejected removal bid. The payment occurred before the 2016 election.
Justice Juan Merchan sentenced Trump on Jan. 10, 2025 to unconditional discharge, according to Ballotpedia in its prosecution timeline. That left the 34 felony convictions on the record with no jail, fine or probation days before the second inauguration.
What the appeals are asking courts to undo
Trump filed his direct state-court appeal around Oct. 28, 2025, USA Today reported. It argues fatal flaws included admission of 2017 presidential-act testimony barred by evidentiary immunity. It also challenges Merchan's refusal to recuse over Biden donations and family political work.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 9, 2025 refused to block sentencing, NPR reported. The Court held Trump could raise immunity and trial-error claims through ordinary appeals. It found the burden insubstantial given the expected unconditional discharge.
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Why the move to federal court failed
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein on Aug. 28, 2026 denied Trump's third bid to remove the decided state case to federal court, Reuters reported in its ruling report.
He called the renewed arguments neither new nor legally sufficient for dismissal on immunity grounds. Hellerstein ruled that paying hush money to an adult-film star and covering up embarrassment are not official presidential acts, CNN reported. Aide, lawyer and social-media evidence therefore was not protected by presidential immunity. The decision kept the case in the state appellate process.
What to track instead of a new case
The supplied sources describe only defense appeals aimed at reversal and possible federal appellate and Supreme Court review, the Washington Examiner reported in its coverage of the vowed appeal. The conviction remains in place while those challenges proceed. Readers tracking accountability can separate an appeal from a fresh charge: Check the court docket entry itself before acting on a headline about dismissal or a new prosecution.
- Follow the New York state direct appeal for reversal, retrial order or affirmance.
- Follow any federal appellate filing over the denied removal to federal court.
- Treat the January 2025 unconditional-discharge sentence as the current punishment unless an appellate court changes it.
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