Gordon Cleveland, the gun store clerk who sold Hunter Biden the firearm at the center of the case, returned to the stand.

Cleveland was being cross-examined by the defense after testifying for the prosecution yesterday.

Hallie Biden, Hunter Biden's former romantic partner who is the widow of his brother Beau Biden, is expected to be the next witness following Cleveland.

Court resumed this morning with a sidebar conference.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys were arguing before the judge about an exhibit the defense wants to introduce when Hallie Biden, Hunter Biden's former romantic partner, takes the stand as expected later today.

Separately, defense attorney Abbe Lowell signaled his intention to file a motion to have the case thrown out after the government rests.

The long-shot bid will be filed on grounds of constitutional shortcomings and insufficient evidence, Lowell said.

Lowell also said his witnesses -- which could include President Joe Biden's brother James Biden and Hunter Biden's daughter Naomi Biden -- may not be available until Friday morning.

Hunter Biden has arrived at the Wilmington courthouse for today's proceedings.

Like previous days, he was accompanied by his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden.

The gun store clerk who sold Hunter Biden the handgun at the center of the government's case returns to the witness stand this morning on Day 4 of the trial as prosecutors look to wrap up their case against the president's son.

Prosecutors said at the end of Wednesday's proceedings that they plan to call six more witnesses -- including Hallie Biden, perhaps their most crucial witness -- before resting their case, which could happen as soon as this afternoon.

Defense counsel have leaned into their claim that Hunter Biden was not actively abusing drugs in October of 2018, the month of his gun purchase, and therefore did not knowingly lie on the federal firearm application form.

Zoe Kestan, one of Hunter Biden's ex-girlfriends, testified Wednesday that she witnessed him smoking crack the month before and the month after his gun purchase, but had "no idea" what he was doing in October.

To fill that gap, prosecutors plan to call Hallie Biden, his brother's widow with whom Hunter Biden was romantically involved.

"The evidence will show that during those 11 days, the defendant continued to use drugs and to talk about his drug use with Hallie," prosecutor Derek Hines said.

According to a transcript of Tuesday's proceedings released hours after court concluded, at attorney for Hunter Biden told the judge during a sidebar conversation that he might decide to call Hunter Biden's oldest daughter, Naomi Biden, to testify at trial "if need be."

Attorney Abbe Lowell made the statement during what appeared to be a tense exchange between him, Judge Maryellen Noreika and two government prosecutors, in which Lowell divulged his expectations for witnesses.

When prosecutors suggested Lowell was hiding the ball on how he planned to present certain evidence, Lowell first introduced the idea of calling one of Hunter Biden's daughters as a witness:

MR. HINES: Exactly, we have asked Mr. Lowell and he won't tell us.
MR. LOWELL: That's not what I said.
MR. HINES: He couldn't tell us which witness.
MR. LOWELL: I said I'm making a proffer and the court -- I understand the rules, each one of these will be submitted with a witness, I don't have to tell them in advance which witness it is, but I am making a statement to the Court, there is three or four witnesses, including his uncle and his daughter, if need be.

Lowell later clarified that Naomi Biden, Hunter Biden's daughter with ex-wife Kathleen Buhle, and the president's eldest granddaughter, was on his witness list.

Lowell also left the door open for Hunter Biden to testify "if it gets to that," a gamble that would put his client in the position of facing live cross-examination from federal prosecutors. It came during a discussion about how Lowell planned to demonstrate that Hunter Biden read the ATF Form 4473 "carefully."

THE COURT: Wait. Just so I'm clear, are you going to suggest that he did in fact read these things or just that if he had chosen to and didn't tell them.
MR. LOWELL: Both.
THE COURT: What is your evidence going to be that he did in fact read all of these things carefully?
MR. LOWELL: If it gets to that judge, then it will be Mr. Biden's job to say that.

During a debate at the same bench conference about an argument Lowell intended to make in his opening statement, Judge Maryellen Noreika called the defense attorney for interrupting her.

MR. LOWELL: That's not the argument judge.
THE COURT: That is what it sounds like you're telling me, you're saying he doesn't know what it was.
MR. LOWELL: No.
THE COURT: You keep cutting me off, and you want to make your argument, and I know you want to make your argument, but you need to understand it, so you need to understand where I am.

The judge later told Lowell, "Don't put words in my mouth."

"I know you're just trying to zealously represent your client," she said, "but don't assume my ruling before you give me a chance to make it."