Your questions about Trump’s trial, answered

When CNN asked for your questions about former President Donald Trump’s upcoming first criminal trial – for his role in hush money payments made before the 2016 election to women who said they had affairs with him – we got a flood of input. Not all of it was fit to print.

But there were a lot of legitimate and very thoughtful questions. Keep reading for a representative sampling, which helps explain the case, along with context from CNN’s reporters and coverage.

Most of the questions come directly from reader submissions, but for others, I’ve taken the liberty of simplifying multiple submissions into one question. Trump, by the way, denies having the affairs and has pleaded not guilty in the case.

Coates: If Trump were to be found guilty of all of the counts, he could theoretically be facing more than a decade in prison. The 34 felony counts are classified as Class E felonies in New York, the lowest level felony in the state.

The maximum penalty for each of those counts is four years; however New York caps sentencing for this type of felony at 20 years. It is within the judge’s discretion to decide whether those sentences would run concurrently or consecutively. Because the crimes involve nonviolent offenses and Trump does not have a criminal record, the judge could also consider jailing him for a period that is but a fraction of the maximum penalty.

Another possibility is that the judge could forego prison entirely and place him on probation with the possibility of incarceration looming over his head if he fails to abide by the conditions set by the judge. If the judge should decide to incarcerate post-conviction, Secret Service would become the elephant in the, well, cell. The unprecedented nature of incarcerating a former president would raise questions about how best to ensure equal treatment under the law and security for a former president.

Watch Coates’ show weeknights at 11 p.m. ET where she’ll answer a lot more of your questions.

If Trump were sent to prison, would he still have his presidential Secret Service protecting him in jail?

But note that as a matter of US law, former presidents and their spouses are afforded lifetime Secret Service protection, unless they decline it.

Will the trial be televised?