Juan Merchan

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/juan-merchan

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Juan Merchan born?1962/1963
2. What was Juan Merchan's job?Prosecutor
3. What is the current position?Acting Justice, New York State Supreme Court, New York County
4. What is the landmark case presided over?2024 criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump
5. Who is Juan Merchan?Juan Merchan is a judge who works as an acting justice of the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan. He used to be a prosecutor, which helped him learn a lot about criminal law.
6. What did Juan Merchan do in 2024?In 2024, Juan Merchan presided over the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. The trial ended with a guilty verdict, a first for a U.S. president.

New York State Supreme Court: A trial court in New York that handles serious civil and criminal cases, not an appellate court as in some other states.
Criminal Contempt of Court: An act that obstructs the administration of justice or shows disrespect for the authority of the court.
Due Process: Fair treatment through the normal judicial system, especially as a citizen's entitlement.
Rule of Law: The principle that all people and institutions are subject to and accountable to law that is fairly applied and enforced.