Why is Trump’s New York hush money trial not taking place on Wednesdays?

Donald Trump became the first sitting or former president in American history to face a criminal trial this week when Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg’s hush money case against him finally commenced in New York City.

Mr Trump was indicted by Mr Bragg last year on 34 felony counts relating to the falsification of business records in October 2016 to allegedly conceal a $130,000 payout made to the adult film star Stormy Daniels to ensure her silence over a sexual encounter she claims the pair had a decade earlier.

The charges on their own are misdemeanours but have been elevated to felonies because Mr Bragg argues that they violate state and federal election laws.

Mr Trump denies the affair with Ms Daniels and has pleaded not guilty on all counts.

So far this week, Judge Juan Merchan has established with the prosecution and defence what evidence will be admissible in his courtroom, seven jurors have been chosen out of the 18 needed (12, plus six substitutes), with many more Manhattanites dismissed after being scrutinised over their suitability for the role.

Mr Trump, for his part, has been admonished twice by the justice and seemingly fell asleep once, although he denies that too.

On Wednesday, however, Judge Merchan’s court stands in darkness, with the jury selection process not due to resume until Thursday. Why?

The answer is that the justice has stipulated that Wednesdays should be kept free to allow everyone a break and for him to attend to other business relating to the other cases with which he is currently involved, which is common practice in major legal cases of this type.

Judge Merchan has said that he will only allow proceedings to go ahead on Wednesdays in the event that additional time is needed to make