“He hates me”: that’s the judge Trump has to answer to

Donald Trump has already let the world know what he thinks of Juan Merchan, the man he faces in court on Tuesday. “He hates me,” the accused ex-president wrote on his social network “Truth Social.”

Trump never tires of emphasizing that the allegations against him are politically motivated, and like his supporters, he sees himself as the victim of a witch hunt. Does Judge Mercan care? It’s hard to believe. Because the 60-year-old has a clear profile and enjoys a reputation as a tough but extremely fair judicial officer who cannot be influenced, even if he is personally targeted – as Trump recently did.

That is what several lawyers and prosecutors who were involved with Merchan in previous cases say to CNN. For example, attorney and former Manhattan district attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo told the U.S. Portal, “Merchan doesn’t let plaintiffs and defendants do a circus in his courtroom.”

He simply would not respond to personal attacks from those involved: “I don’t think that bodes well for Donald Trump, who is already attacking him in court,” said Agnifilo. And further:

A lawyer already involved in a lawsuit with Trump connections also expressed his appreciation: Nicholas Gravante represented Allen Weisselberg, Trump confidant and former CFO of the Trump Organization, who was eventually convicted of grand theft, tax fraud and forgery of business documents .

Gravante told CNN that Mercan is efficient and practical as a judge. And further:

Several lawyers also say that Mercan does have a “compassionate” side. So he tends to make judgments that give the accused a second chance if he feels they are sincere.

The 60-year-old is an immigrant child from Colombia. Born in the capital Bogota, he immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of six, according to the New York Times. There he grew up in the New York borough of Queens, in the borough of Jackson Heights, a socially disadvantaged neighborhood at the time of his youth where many immigrants lived.

Merchan’s career resembles the stereotypical American dishwasher story. The youngest of six siblings, he started working at age nine and had to wash dishes while in high school to help his family survive.

He was the first in his family to attend college and later studied law at Hofstra University on Long Island. Merchan worked his way up through the years before being appointed to the New York Supreme Court in 2009. There he is now regarded as one of the most respected legal representatives and has tried several sensational cases over the years.

But now Mercan faces what is by far the most publicized ordeal of his career – and his ability to tolerate no circus in his courtroom should probably serve him well more than ever.