If Donald Trump Is Indicted, Here's What Would Happen Next in the Process

Former US President Donald Trump speaks during an "America First Education Policy" event in Davenport, Iowa, US, on March 13, 2023. Credit - Miriam Alarcon Avila—Bloomberg/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump says his indictment by the Manhattan District Attorney for alleged hush money payments is imminent, claiming on Saturday that it could come as early as Tuesday.

District Attorney Alvin Bragg has not commented on Trump’s claims, and a spokesperson for Trump later clarified that Trump had received no notification an indictment was imminent.

However, Trump’s comments highlight the possibility that he could face arrest for the first time. Trump was invited to testify before a grand jury in early March. The offer to testify, which Trump declined, is required before any indictment.

The investigation centers around cash paid to pornographic film star Stormy Daniels in 2016 before Trump’s election win. Daniels says she had an affair with Trump; Trump denies this.

Read More: What Trump Has Said About Stormy Daniels

As part of Bragg’s investigation, Trump could face charges for falsifying business records when he allegedly reimbursed his then-personal attorney Michael Cohen for paying off Daniels. The hush-money deal, allegedly crafted weeks before his presidential win, could also put Trump in jeopardy of violating campaign finance laws.

The prospect of Trump’s arrest—the first in history for a former president—raises questions about the process Trump would be subject to during his arrest and trial—including whether any extraordinary measures would be taken given his unique status.

TIME spoke with legal experts about each step of the process, and how Trump’s indictment might proceed differently from run-of-the-mill white-collar crime cases.

The arrest

The charges Trump would likely face are for white-collar crimes regarding financial dealings, and given their non-violent nature, defendants in such cases typically “self-surrender,” skipping public perp walks.

Shanlon Wu, a white-collar defense attorney and former federal prosecutor, tells TIME that defense councils typically receive notice when their white-collar clients are being indicted. “You would make an appointment basically, to bring your client in to be booked and fingerprinted,” Wu says.