New York judge expected to issue crucial presidential immunity ruling in Trump "hush money" case

The judge who presided over President-elect Donald Trump's criminal trial, Juan Merchan, is expected to issue a ruling Tuesday that could either turn the case on its head or put Trump on a collision course with sentencing.

The long-awaited ruling, on whether evidence shown at trial should have been shielded from jurors, due to presidential immunity, could have profound consequences for the case. 

Trump was the first former president ever to be convicted of crimes. On Nov. 5, he also became the first person with a criminal record ever to be elected president.