Judge Merchan read the jury the New York state law related to falsifying business records.

"Under our law, a person is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree when, with intent to defraud that includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof," Merchan read.

Few of the jurors appeared to be taking the notes at that point.

Judge Merchan then reviewed each of the counts against Trump to explain the People's burden of proof.

He said that in the interest of brevity, he would instruct them on Falsification of Business Records for the first count -- but not the full instruction for all 34 counts, because they are identical.

Merchan methodically walked through each of the allegedly falsified documents, listing the dates, voucher numbers, and check numbers for each of the records.

The judge said he would be happy to repeat the instructions later if the jury so requests.

Judge Merchan explained to jurors the prosecution's three theories for the unlawful means used to influence the 2016 election.

First, Merchan said that the unlawful means could include a violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act, which caps campaign contributions. Prosecutors allege that Michael Cohen's payment to Stormy Daniels exceeded the legal cap.

Second, Merchan said prosecutors argue that Trump and others falsified business records, including the bank paperwork for Essential Consultants Inc., the money wire to Daniels, and the 1099 forms related to Cohen's repayment.

Third, Merchan said the crime could be violations of tax laws related to the "grossing up" of Cohen's reimbursement to cover the taxes he would owe on the payment.

Judge Merchan tells the jury that prosecutors allege that Trump attempted to conceal a violation of New York election law by falsifying business records.

"They need not prove that the other crime was committed, aided, or concealed," Merchan said.

Prosecutors are relying on New York Election Law 17-152, which prohibits "any two or more persons who conspire to promote or prevent the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means." Prosecutors offered three theories of the "unlawful means" mentioned in that law.

Though jurors will need to agree Trump falsified records in furtherance of an additional crime in order to convict, "they need not be unanimous" on "what unlawful means" were used, Merchan said.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche told jurors that while both Trump and Stormy Daniels denied the affair, the allegations came back in 2016 so Daniels and others could extort Trump.

"There were a group of people that wanted to take advantage of a situation and ultimately wanted to extort money from President Trump," Blanche said.

Blanche argued that Daniels' claim of a sexual tryst with Trump was known in 2011, so the hush payment could not have been meant to influence an election five years later.

"The idea that when Ms. Daniels surfaced in 2016 that it caused some sort of panic amongst everybody is not true. It's just not true," Blanche said.

Blanche hesitantly used the word extortion in his opening statement to describe the Daniels payment -- calling it "almost an attempt ... to extort" -- but the defense appears to have leaned into the argument in their closing.

Blanche also suggested that Trump may not have known about the Daniels payment at the time, telling jurors they only have Michael Cohen to rely on for that evidence.

"There's no way that you can find that President Trump knew about this payment at the time it was made without believing Michael Cohen. Period," Blanche said. "And you cannot believe his words."