"All rise," the bailiff announced at 9:59 a.m. ET. "This is the People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump."

And with that, proceedings are underway.

Members of the prosecution and the defense, including the former president, stood briefly as Judge Juan Merchan entered the courtroom and took his seat on the bench.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg entered the courtroom shortly before court went into session.

Former President Trump arrived at the courtroom at 9:32 a.m. flanked by members of his legal team.

In brief remarks to reporters on the way in, he called his criminal trial an "assault on America."

"Nothing like this has ever happened before," Trump said, marking his first comments of the day as he becomes the first former American president to face criminal charges.

"There is no case," he said. "This is political persecution."

Trump also attacked President Joe Biden and said the case should not go forward.

Upon entering the courtroom, he sat at the defendant's table as his lawyers and court officers buzzed around him.

Several members of the Manhattan district attorney’s office have arrived in the courtroom.

Proceedings are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Former President Trump has arrived at the courthouse in lower Manhattan.

He stepped out of his motorcade, waved, and walked into the side entrance.

A small group of supporters and protesters both cheered and booed his arrival.

After a prospective alternate said he has a minority stake in a company that produces Michael Cohen's "Mea Culpa" podcast, Trump leaned forward and turned toward the man at the mention of his former attorney's name.

The man also said he had volunteered for a Democratic get-out-the-vote effort during Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign.

Several of the prospective alternates said they had read Trump's "Art of the Deal," including a management consultant who likes to be outdoors when he's not working.

A retired teacher made the requisite pledges, saying, "I will solely make my decision solely based on the evidence in the courtroom. There is no reason why I can't be a fair and impartial juror."

"I believe that everyone should obey the law," he said.

A woman with an MBA in information systems who likes to "cook, bake, watch hockey" inquired about the court's schedule for Passover. Told the court was planning to break early this coming Monday and Tuesday, she said that would give her plenty of time to travel to her seders in New Jersey.

A contract specialist for a fintech company said she likes to take her two boys to Knicks games and Rubik's Cube speed competitions.

Another prospective alternate skipped the questionnaire and told the judge she could not be impartial.

"After thinking about this yesterday after hearing the questions, I don't think I can be impartial," the woman said before Judge Merchan excused her without objection.