Trump attorney Susan Necheles began the proceedings by renewing their request that Judge Juan Merchan preclude parts of Stormy Daniels' planned testimony.

Necheles said that Daniels is expected to be the second witness today.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger argued that the context of the alleged 2006 sexual encounter between Daniels and Trump are important, though Daniels will not testify about that in detail.

"The details of the encounter, your honor, are important," said Susan Hoffinger. "In terms of a sexual act, it will be very basic ... how she came to have sex and how she felt about it."

"There is just no need for those kinds of details here," Necheles argued. "This case is a case about books and records, and we shouldn't get into how she felt about it, what happened in the room."

Judge Juan Merchan said he would stick with his earlier ruling allowing the testimony, but acknowledged that Daniels had "credibility issues."

"We don't need to know the details of the intercourse," Merchan said. "I agree with you that she had credibility issues."

Trump has denied that he had a sexual encounter with Daniels.

Proceedings are underway for Day 13 of Donald Trump's criminal trial in what is expected to be a dramatic day in the courtroom with the expected testimony of Stormy Daniels.

Trump is, as usual, seated at the defense table alongside his attorneys.

Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles flank the former president, and Emil Bove is at the far end of the table.

Donald Trump has entered the courtroom, looking at members of the press as he entered.

He is joined by his son Eric Trump and attorney Alina Habba.

In addition to approximately 70 members of the press in the courtroom, six members of the public are present in the courtroom to watch today's testimony.

They said they learned about the opportunity to watch the trial over the last few weeks and decided to come see the testimony for themselves. Some traveled from Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Brooklyn to attend the trial.

A court officer repeatedly reminded them not to fall asleep in the courtroom.

Trump once told McConney, "You're fired" -- but it was just a "teaching moment," the former Trump Organization controller testified.

McConney shared an anecdote from early in his tenure at the Trump Organization, in the late 1980s -- which might have foreshadowed the iconic catchphrase Trump later brandished on his reality TV show, The Apprentice.

"I would hand-deliver the [cash position] report to him once a week," McConney explained.

On one of those occasions, McConney said he entered Trump's office while Trump was on the phone. After he dropped off the report, McConney said he turned to leave. Trump asked whoever he was on the phone with to "hold on."

"Jeff, you're fired," he said Trump told him, before turning back to his conversation on the phone.

McConney said he waited until Trump rang off. When he did, he said, "Jeff, you're not fired. But my cash balances went down since last week."

"It was a teaching moment," McConney said. "Just because someone is asking for money, negotiate with 'em, talk to 'em -- don't just do it mindlessly."

Trump, sitting at the defense table, appeared to flash a smile as McConney relayed the anecdote.