What to know about Donald Trump’s arraignment in Miami

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to be arraigned in Miami on Tuesday on federal charges connected to his handling of classified national security records.

The arraignment, one day before Trump’s 77th birthday, marks an unprecedented moment as the first time a former president or presidential candidate from a major political party has been charged by the Department of Justice. However, it’s not Trump’s first time being indicted or making a very public courtroom appearance. He was indicted by a New York City grand jury in March over alleged hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

» READ MORE: Follow our live coverage of Donald Trump's Miami arraignment in the classified documents case

Now, Trump also faces 37 federal charges, which were unsealed last week. Tuesday’s arraignment will take place in a federal courthouse in downtown Miami.

Here’s what you should know:

Trump will appear in federal court at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

An indictment is when a grand jury returns charges against someone suspected of committing a crime.

An arrest is when someone is taken into custody.

A former president appearing in court is a significant event for a security team to orchestrate.

As noted by the New York Times, Trump’s team has been discussing security arrangements and procedures with local authorities. Specifics have not been released.

Typically, when criminal defendants are taken into custody ahead of their court appearance, they are handcuffed, fingerprinted, and their mug shot is taken.

When Trump was arraigned on New York state charges in April, he was only fingerprinted. It’s unclear if Tuesday’s appearance will unfold the same way.

Trump is accused of violating seven federal laws and faces 37 separate charges. Thirty-one of those charges are tied to the 31 classified documents he is accused of illegally keeping at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The remaining charges center on his alleged efforts to hide classified information from investigators.

His longtime aide, Walt Nauta, also faces six counts, including conspiracy to obstruct, withholding a document or record, and scheme to conceal.

Experts say — just like in his April arraignment — it’s unlikely a judge would have Trump detained before trial.

However, if Trump is convicted on all the charges he faces, it could mean years in prison.

If Trump were convicted on each of the 37 counts, the maximum punishment he could face is 400 years in prison and $9.5 million in fines. But that’s unlikely to happen, as federal judges typically set a defendant’s sentences on separate crimes to run concurrently, or at the same time. The most serious counts Trump is facing — those of conspiring to obstruct justice and those of withholding, corruptly concealing, and concealing classified documents — each carry a maximum prison term of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

» READ MORE: What Donald Trump's federal indictment means

Trump does not face any mandatory minimum sentences, meaning that a judge is not necessarily obligated to send him to prison.

Punishment relating to classified documents can vary depending on factors including the material, the amount of material, and how sensitive it is, according to the Washington Post.

After his arraignment, Trump is scheduled to travel to his Bedminster, N.J., golf club.

At 8:15 p.m., he’s expected to give a speech at a birthday fundraiser, Politico reported. The former president’s appearance is likely to mirror how he handled his arraignment in April, where he traveled from a New York courthouse to Mar-a-Lago and gave a speech.

Special counsel Jack Smith’s team of prosecutors will need to prove their case in court. According to the Washington Post, the process could stretch out for months, or years, until a Florida jury either comes to a verdict or a plea deal is reached.

The case represents one of many ongoing investigations against Trump.

How things shake out and the timing of it all could impact Trump’s presidential campaign for 2024. He’s allowed to run for president while under indictment and would still be allowed to run if he was convicted — but nothing like this has happened before. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, offenses from past presidential candidates ranged in severity from impeachments to President Ulysses S. Grant being a notorious speed demon on his horse and carriage. In 1920, Eugene V. Debs lost his Socialist Party campaign for president from the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary.

Experts say it’s unlikely a Trump trial could happen before the 2024 election. As noted by the Washington Post, the case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon — a Florida judge who previously ruled in Trump’s favor regarding how classified documents should be handled.

Trump’s defense will likely aim to delay the trial until after the election, while prosecutors may want to expedite things, according to the Washington Post. Trump’s next Manhattan trial date regarding his fraud case is set for March. He could also face additional criminal charges regarding his alleged handling of the 2020 election results.

Over the weekend, Trump told Politico that being a criminal defendant was a new and uncomfortable experience.

“Nobody wants to be indicted,” Trump said. “I don’t care that my poll numbers went up by a lot. I don’t want to be indicted. I’ve never been indicted. I went through my whole life, now I get indicted every two months. It’s been political.”