Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan signaled on Friday that he is open to a total dismissal of President-elect Donald Trump’s hush money conviction, handing down a ruling that effectively stays the trial indefinitely.

CNN reported that Merchan has adjourned a sentencing hearing in the case, the third time he has done so in less than two weeks.

Merchan originally self-imposed a deadline of November 12th to punish the Republican after a jury found him guilty on 34 felony counts for concealing records of a sum paid to Stormy Daniels to quell rumors of an affair before the 2016 election.

Attorneys for Trump have fought the conviction at every turn, arguing that the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling applies because Trump did not reimburse Michael Cohen for the payment until he was in office.

In his ruling Friday, Merchan seemed inclined to agree that District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case was going nowhere.

“On November 19, 2024, this Court received separate submissions from Defendant and the District Attorney of New York County seeking various forms of relief in connection with the above-captioned matter,” Merchan wrote,

granting the filing of a motion to dismiss and stay sentencing until all parties have submitted their motions. Additionally, the November 26th deadline set for next week is adjourned. “The above constitutes the Decision and Order of the Court,” Merchan concluded.

The decision effectively brings to an end the only criminal case where Trump was convicted, and the first to be brought against a current or former president.

Bragg, a frequent nemesis of Trump, requested this week that Judge Merchan delay the sentencing until after Trump leaves the White House, a desperate ploy to outflank defense attorneys who argued the sentence would interfere with Trump’s ability to serve as president.

Merchan has exhibited animus with Trump as well, admonishing him in court for scoffing during proceedings or making extrajudicial statements to the media. Court observers said last week the 62-year-old judge was furious about previously being forced to delay sentencing.

“Merchan doesn’t have the stomach to imprison a former president or president-elect,” former prosecutor Neama Rahmani said. “Now that Trump has won,

his criminal problems go away.” Trump, who made a habit of excoriating both Merchan and Bragg from his Truth Social account, has been virtually silent about the case since the election, a tacit acknowledgment that it’s no longer worth his time.

Instead, the president-elect has starved the case of media attention by announcing a flurry of administrative appointments that have overwhelmed the 24-hour news cycle for nearly three straight weeks.