Dueling protests outside court as former President Donald Trump pleads not guilty

How serious are the charges, and how likely is the former president to be convicted?

We ask Fordham Law School Professor Cheryl Bader these questions and more.

Former President Donald Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago shortly after his court hearing Tuesday, where he gave a fiery speech to supporters. 

After saying little during his arraignment, Trump lashed out at the prosecutor and judge, claiming the charges are the latest moves by critics to stop him from running for president. 

The former president is accused of falsifying business records to cover up illegal payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and others. 

He also faces three other investigations that could also lead to indictments. 

Former President Donald Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, according to the newly unsealed indictment that was issued by a grand jury last week.

The felony charges could land him in prison for up to four years on each count.

Experts believe his legal team will try to delay the case or get it dismissed.

Trump's next court date will be Dec. 4, just two months before the 2024 Republican presidential primary. 

CBS2 political reporter Marcia Kramer discusses the political fallout from former president Donald Trump's arraignment.

Tuesday's arraignment of former president Donald Trump brought journalists from all over the world to New York City. Roughly 50 of them were allowed inside the courtroom, including CBS2's Alice Gainer.

CBS2 political reporter Marcia Kramer and legal expert Anne-Marie McAvoy join CBS2's Maurice DuBois and Kristine Johnson to discuss former president Donald Trump's arraignment.

Christian Benavides breaks down what unfolded in court and former president Donald Trump's rally Tuesday.

No video cameras were allowed inside the courtroom where former president Donald Trump was arraigned Tuesday. CBS2's Alice Gainer was our eyes and ears inside.

Tuesday began with protests outside of Manhattan criminal court as former president Donald Trump made his way inside. Some well-known political figures joined the dueling demonstrations. CBS2's Alecia Reid reports.

CLICK HERE to read the full story. 

Tuesday will go down in the history books as former president Donald Trump became the first United States president to be criminally charged. CBS2's Tim McNicholas reports.

Former president Donald Trump addressed supporters in Florida on Tuesday evening, hours after pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. CBS2 political reporter Marcia Kramer and political expert Basil Smikle join CBS2's Maurice DuBois and Kristine Johnson to break down his speech.

Former president Donald Trump entered a Manhattan courtroom at 2:28 p.m. Tuesday and was on the way home to Mar-a-Lago less than two hours later. In between, he faced the music of a 34-count indictment -- felony charges of falsifying business records. CBS2 political reporter Marcia Kramer breaks it all down.

Former president Donald Trump spent parts of the last two days at his private residence in Trump Tower, and supporters and critics gathered outside Tuesday to make their voices heard.

Trump spent less than 24 hours at his 11,000 square foot penthouse, but it was a brief visit that attracted intense interest.

Anti-Trump protesters spent about 45 minutes outside Trump Tower before noon, delighted he's indicted and charged, with a handful of Trump supporters across Fifth Avenue, decrying this as a political witch hunt.

"And honestly, as New Yorkers, as the New York resistance, it kind of feels really good that New York is the place where he's going to face criminal charges first," one protester said.

"Tried to create an indictment on a former president and a presidential, you know, candidate. It's just a sad day in our country. Who's gonna want to be president?" one supporter said.

"It's really satisfying as a New Yorker to see him finally see the inside of a courtroom and face a judge like every other criminal who's indicted of a petty or great, big crime," one protester said.

"There should be corruption beyond. There should not be a he said/she said sexual allegation," one supporter said.

There was still a Secret Service presence outside the skyscraper at 56th and Fifth Avenue on Saturday evening after the arraignment, but the tower with its Trump restaurants and gift shops was open, and tourists were stopping to take pictures and soak up the atmosphere on this unprecedented day.

"It's just a monumental day. I just wanted to come see it and see all the police and all the barricades and all the people," Salt Lake City resident Sarah Phillips said.

All the planning by the Secret Service and NYPD paid off; Trump was moved around town safely, and concerns about major protests did not materialize.

It's worth noting Trump's condo at Trump Tower plays a role in a fraud case brought by the state of New York and set for trial this fall. The attorney general alleges the former president lied about its square footage and value to inflate his net worth.

There is no precedent for this day as Donald Trump is the first former president to face criminal charges, but we do know how the process works. Hofstra law professor James Sample joined CBS2 to help us navigate the legal process.

Tuesday was a history-making day in the world of criminal justice and politics in New York as former president Donald Trump was arraigned on 34 felony charges. CBS2 political reporter Marcia Kramer helps sort it all out.

CBS2's Alice Gainer was one of a limited number of reporters allowed inside the courtroom during former president Donald Trump's arraignment Tuesday.

CBS2's Jessica Moore has details of former president Donald Trump's arraignment.

Attorney and political strategist JC Polanco joined CBS2 to discuss former president Donald Trump's arraignment.

Throughout the day Tuesday, it has been a controlled chaos. 

A crush of people have been filling the park outside court throughout the day for dueling protests. 

CLICK HERE to read the full story. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg held a press conference Tuesday following the arraignment of former president Donald Trump.

CBS2's Alice Gainer reports on what happened inside the courtroom during former president Donald Trump's arraignment Tuesday.

Political strategist Hank Sheinkopf joins CBS News New York to discuss the arraignment of former president Donald Trump on Tuesday.

"Manhattan is home to the country's most significant business market. We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct. As this office has done time and time again, we today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law," Bragg said in a statement. "We allege Donald Trump and his associates repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters." 

Bragg was expected to hold a news conference later Tuesday. You can watch it on CBS News New York. 

CLICK HERE to read the 34-count indictment of former President Donald Trump. (.pdf) 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will speak to reporters Tuesday after the arraignment of former President Donald Trump. 

His press conference is scheduled to be held at 3:30 p.m. at the Supreme Civil Court, located next to the Manhattan Criminal Court, where Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts, including falsifying business records in the first degree. 

You can watch it live on CBS News New York. 

CLICK HERE for more information. 

New York Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar released the following statement about former President Trump's arrest: 

Today's action has more to do with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg than it does with former President Donald Trump. It's a political prosecution that should chill every American to the core, whether one supports Mr. Trump or not.

Mr. Bragg campaigned on prosecuting Mr. Trump without having seen any evidence of lawbreaking. He promised that, if elected, he'd use the power of his office to destroy the former President and current presidential candidate, and that's what he's now trying to do for political advantage.

This is not how the American judicial system is supposed to work, and even liberals are privately communicating unease with what D.A. Bragg is doing. By setting this frightening new precedent, Mr. Bragg could be opening up the nation to an ugly new type of political warfare. This is a dangerous moment for our nation."

Click the article above for additional coverage of the courtroom proceedings by our colleagues at CBS News. 

The first photos of the former president in court have been released. 

The images show Trump flanked by his legal team. 

CLICK HERE to see more photos. 

Former President Donald Trump is expected to address a crowd of supporters at his Florida resort after his arraignment on criminal charges in Manhattan Tuesday. 

The speech is slated for 8:15 p.m. ET from Mar-a-Lago.

The former president has denied all wrongdoing and calls the Manhattan district attorney's case a "witch hunt."  

CLICK HERE for more information. 

Manny Gomez, a security expert and former member of the NYPD and FBI, sheds light on the security measures for today's historic court appearance and potential protests.

CBS2's Political Reporter Marcia Kramer breaks down what comes next in the case and takes us step-by-step through what's expected at today's arraignment.

CBS2's Tony Aiello reports from outside Trump Tower, where the former president just left to face his arraignment.

CBS2's Jessica Moore walks us through what comes next as the former president is processed and officially arraigned.

The former president greeted protesters and supporters with a raised fist as he departed Trump Tower for Manhattan Criminal Court. 

CLICK HERE to watch live.

Hofstra Law Professor James Sample joins CBS News New York to explain what happens when former President Donald Trump appears in court Tuesday and what comes next in the case.

CBS2's Political Reporter Marcia Kramer has a closer look at the charges the former president is expected to face Tuesday in Manhattan.

Former President Donald Trump isn't the only person in the spotlight as he faces arraignment Tuesday in New York City. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is also taking center stage.

CBS2's Political Reporter Marcia Kramer provides some context on the political implications for Bragg.

CLICK HERE for her full report.

The indictment remains sealed, but we know there are roughly 30 counts related to business fraud. Experts tell CBS2's Jessica Moore we may be surprised by the details uncovered inside.

We have team coverage outside Trump Tower and the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse as Trump becomes the first former president to be arraigned on criminal charges. CBS2's Tony Aiello has the latest.

Chopper 2 was over the scene as protesters gathered in Lower Manhattan. 

Hundreds of people gathered in Lower Manhattan Tuesday for dueling protests during the historic arraignment of former President Donald Trump.   

On one side, there were Trump supporters, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene and Rep. George Santos, along with the New York Young Republicans Club. 

On the other side, there were people against Trump, including Rep. Jamal Bowman and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. They said they were there to show relief about the indictment, and be a show of force in New York against the former president. 

CLICK HERE to read more.  

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will hold a press conference following the arraignment, his office said Monday night. 

• Read More: Who is Alvin Bragg?

CBS News New York plans to stream the briefing live this afternoon.

An arraignment is the first time a person appears in court in front of a judge and are told what they are being charged with. The defendant is read their rights, including the right to have an attorney appointed if they can't afford one. (Trump, of course, has his own legal team.) Then they tell the court if they plead guilty or not guilty to the charges. At that point, if the defendant is fighting the charges, the judge may set a date for a future hearing or trial.

CLICK HERE to find out more.  

Trump is not expected to have a mugshot taken when he is processed Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the plans for his arrest. 

He is also not expected to be placed in handcuffs, since he will be surrounded by law enforcement.

CLICK HERE for the latest from CBS News.

CBS News New York's Ali Bauman snapped a shot of protesters who are opposed to the former president. 

Congressman George Santos was spotted outside the courthouse Tuesday morning. 

He was surrounded by members of the media as he arrived.   

CLICK HERE for more from his appearance.

CBS News New York's Alice Gainer will be among the handful of journalists inside the courtroom for the arraignment. She tweeted a video as more media members gathering outside. 

Ali Bauman is also on the ground in Lower Manhattan, where there are swarms of police, journalists and protesters. 

Cheryl Bader, a Fordham law professor and former federal prosecutor, walks us through what to expect from today's court appearance. 

Dr. Darrin Porcher, a retired NYPD lieutenant and professor of criminal justice at Pace University, breaks down the logistics behind Trump's court appearance, followed by tonight's return to Mar-a-Lago.

Sources have given us an idea of what to expect on this historic day for the former president. 

Timing will be fluid, but we're told Trump and his team will depart for the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse by motorcade at some point between 11:15 a.m. and noon. 

CLICK HERE for more details. 

The 45th president of the United States is set to assume the role of criminal defendant. 

Sources say Trump may stand for a mugshot, but he will not be handcuffed. 

There will also be no video cameras allowed inside 100 Centre Street, only still photography. 

Sources say Trump will likely be charged with falsifying business records in the first degree -- a felony stemming from his alleged role in hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels back in 2016. 

CLICK HERE for more from CBS News.

Reporters, photographers and producers lined up overnight for a spot at today's arraignment. 

A limited number of journalists will be allowed inside the courtroom, possibly along with members of the public.

The NYPD says it's ready for the unprecedented security task at hand when former President Donald Trump is arraigned in Lower Manhattan. 

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell says the department prepared for the former president's arrival for weeks. 

While the NYPD says there are no credible threats to the city, the department ordered all 35,000 officers to be in uniform and on standby.   

CLICK HERE for the full story.

CBS2's political reporter Marcia Kramer takes a closer look at how the former president's indictment could impact the 2024 presidential election.  

Watch: Trump lands in New York before arraignment

Watch: Security expert on how NYPD prepared for Trump's arrival

Watch: Former Pres. Trump's motorcade arrives at Trump Tower

NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell and Mayor Eric Adams say there are "no specific, credible threats," as former President Donald Trump prepares to face arraignment Tuesday in New York City. 

"While there may be some rabble-rousers thinking about coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: Control yourselves," Adams said Monday. "New York City is our home, not a playground for your misplaced anger."  

Adams specifically called out Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and told her to "be on your best behavior."

"Our job is to facilitate and safeguard the rights of people to express themselves and those going about their daily activities, but I will remind everyone that violence and destruction are not part of legitimate, lawful expression, and it will never be tolerated in our city," Sewell added.

Officials urged New Yorkers to expect traffic and to use mass transit. They also said there will be street closures near the courts in Lower Manhattan and elsewhere around the city. 

New York GOP Chair Ed Cox and former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin weighed in on the case against Trump with CBS2's CBS2's political reporter Marcia Kramer. 

CLICK HERE for their full interviews.

• What happens now that Trump has been indicted? 
  
• Could Trump still become president if he's convicted of a crime?
  
• What does Donald Trump's indictment mean for his business dealings?

• Timeline: Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels and the $130,000 payment to buy her silence