As we wrote earlier, New York Judge Juan Merchan took the world by surprise on Friday, with his ruling to hand down a sentence for President-elect Donald Trump in his Manhattan business records fraud case--less than two weeks before the inauguration on Jan. 20.

While sharing the news, my colleague Susie Moore caught everyone up on the case:

In early May, a Manhattan jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records. Since then, there has been significant legal maneuvering, with multiple post-trial motions aimed at overturning the verdict and/or delaying the sentencing, if not outright dismissing the case on grounds of presidential immunity and/or in light of Trump's reelection. Merchan's rulings on the post-trial matters, like many of them ahead of and during the trial, have largely not favored Trump. 

In a Friday ruling, Merchan indicated that he will hold the sentencing hearing on Friday, January 10. 

Justice Juan Merchan will sentence Trump for his crimes on Jan. 10 — just 10 days before his inauguration on Jan. 20 — in a court proceeding that will be unlike any in America's 248 years

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Justice Juan Merchan's ruling ends two months of speculation — and back and forth jockeying by Trump's attorneys and prosecutors for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg — following Trump's narrow election victory on Nov. 5. 

Read More: BREAKING: Trump to Be Sentenced Ahead of Inauguration

Readers might remember that the former president was fined $9,000 for violating the court's gag order by commenting several times on the case on social media about some figures in the case, including former associates and Merchan's court staff members. Trump was, however, allowed to attend his son's high school graduation ceremony.

NEW: Judge Finds Trump Violated Gag Order, Fines Him $9,000, but Agrees He Can Attend Barron's Graduation

In what might be a nifty go-around by Trump, it's the Transition Team, not the man himself, who has now responded to the judge's move. In a press release, titled "STATEMENT ON THE WITCH HUNT SENTENCING BY CORRUPT MERCHAN," Communications Director Steven Cheung says:

Today’s order by the deeply conflicted, Acting Justice Merchan in the Manhattan DA Witch Hunt is a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence. This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed. President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts. There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.

This is a developing story. If more reaction emerges from the president-elect's side of things, we'll bring it to you immediately.