Who's Judge Juan Merchan? Trump says he 'hates me' but lawyers say he's fair

Donald Trump dismisses him as a hater, but Judge Juan Merchan, who's expected to preside over the former president's arraignment, is a veteran jurist with a reputation for being stern yet compassionate. "He's not one of those judges who yells at lawyers, and is characterized as a no-nonsense judge. Barry Kamins, a New York judge turned defense lawyer, said his 60-year-old former colleague "is well-known, even in difficult cases, to exhibit excellent temperament, integrity and a solid knowledge of the law." On Friday morning, Trump blasted Merchan on his social media website Truth Social, while misspelling the judge’s last name. “The Judge ‘assigned’ to my Witch Hunt Case, a ‘Case’ that has NEVER BEEN CHARGED BEFORE, HATES ME.