Day 1 of Trump New York hush money trial

Prosectors will need to be hyper aware of how they present the case to the jury in court during the criminal hush money case against former President Donald Trump, CNN chief legal analyst Laura Coates said.

"If you're the prosecutor, you know the second those jurors come in the room, it is performance mode," Coates noted.

She said the prosecutors presentation holds a lot of weight when it comes to the case and speaking to the jury.

Coates added, that the jury will analyze the prosecutors and look at many variables in court, such as:

She continued, "You have to really be present and aware of how you present to a jury because you're looking at each one of them, looking at you, wondering, 'Do I trust this person? Can this person persuade me?'"

Judge Juan Merchan is now considering instructions for the jury and said he would ask the jury two questions.

A district attorney's office attorney says it agrees to ask jurors two separate questions: Are jurors unable to serve because of conflicts, and then secondly, asking if they do not believe they can serve in an impartial way.

Merchan said this is "already by far the most exhaustive questionnaire this court has ever used" and said he will not make additional changes.

Judge Juan Merchan said there will be no court on Monday, April 29.

He also said that while there will be no court on Wednesdays, he could change that schedule if there are excessive delays.

For Passover: "The court will work through lunch until 2 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, April 22 and 23 and Tuesday, April 30 to allow counsel sufficient time to allow counsel to arrive at their holiday destination," Merchan said.

Merchan said that he cannot yet rule on two requests from Trump and an attorney to adjourn the trial for a day so they can attend the high school graduations of their children, saying it depends on how the schedule is going.

The name "Sandoval" is expected to be heard often during today's proceedings in the Donald Trump hush money trial.

CNN legal analyst Karen Friedman Agnifilo explains that it is "a little mini hearing that happens before every trial."

During a Sandoval hearing, a judge is asked whether previous bad acts can be brought up and the judge is expected to weigh the probative value versus prejudicial effect of doing so, according to Agnifilo.

CNN's Paula Reid previously reported that Trump's lawyers expect to have a Sandoval hearing today before jury selection gets underway.

Judge Juan Merchan denied the motion for recusal and says he won't consider it again until the appellate court rules.

Merchan says it's the opinion of the court that Trump is using a "series of inferences, innuendos and unsupported speculation" to make his claims for recusal.

Trump appeared to be looking straight ahead, at a screen, biting his bottom lip as the judge rejected the recusal motion.

Judge Juan Merchan notes that there are two motions for recusal pending, one before him and one before a New York appeals court. He says he will issue a decision from the bench on the motion before him.

Merchan is now going over Trump's allegations that he should be recused, including an interview he gave to the Associated Press about preparing for the trial.

Merchan says that allegations from Trump about his AP interview and 2019 comments about politicians using Twitter do not demonstrate bias.

Trump is sitting still and is facing the judge.

A court clerk opened the proceedings by saying, "This is the people of the state of New York vs Donald J. Trump."

Judge Juan Merchan has entered the coutroom and the trial is underway.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys will vet prospective jurors to select a jury of 12, along with six alternates. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg just walked into the courtroom.

Donald Trump is seated between his attorneys, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove. 

New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan has not arrived in the room yet.