After several hours of arguments over various evidentiary and procedural matters, jury selection is nearly ready to get underway.

"This is what we're going to do -- sit down and relax," Judge Merchan told attorneys for both sides. "We have 500 jurors waiting for us. And to be honest with you, I'm not interested in getting into this minutiae with you."

"There's more important work to be done," he said.

Before moving on, Merchan assured attorneys for both parties that his pretrial rulings are subject to change over the course of the trial.

"This is a roadmap," Merchan said, referring to his rulings. "I can reverse myself, I can change my mind."

Merchan then began reading instructions to the attorneys about how to conduct themselves before prospective jurors.

After a break, Judge Merchan ruled that prosecutors can submit evidence related to Trump's attacks on his former attorney Michael Cohen if the defense first chooses to question Cohen's credibility as a witness.

Merchan said, "I imagine" the defense will seek "to discredit" Cohen -- and when they do, he said, "the door is open" for prosecutors to introduce those tweets of Trump's.

Trump has been leaning forward with his hands clasped beneath his chin as his attorney, Todd Blanche, argues about what other evidentiary guardrails should be in place.

Following the arguments over alleged witness intimidation, prosecutors signaled they may seek to have Trump held in contempt.

A limited gag order Judge Merchan imposed in recent weeks prohibits Trump from attacking witnesses and others associated with the case.

"Shortly, we will be seeking order to show cause as to why defendant should not be held in contempt," prosecutor Josh Steinglass said, suggesting Trump violated Merchan's order.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass argued that several pieces of evidence related to Trump's alleged "pressure campaign" meant to "keep witnesses off this stand, at this trial" should be introduced at trial.

Steinglass said Trump's public commentary amounted to a "thinly veiled effort to intimidate" two of the government's star witnesses, Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.

"The defendant himself has publicly embraced the public strategy of going after his perceived enemies," Steinglass said.

"These tweets, phone calls and emails" should be permitted, Steinglass said. "It's a clear effort to raise the cost of cooperation."

Trump's public postings, Steinglass argued, demonstrate Trump's attempts to silence potential fact witnesses and "relate to his consciousness of guilt."

Trump attorney Todd Blanche pushed back, saying that Trump has been "facing criticism from all sides … the media and others ... and he's defending himself" to his "millions and millions of followers."

"Do you know someone by the same of Stephanie Clifford?"

The question, by assistant district attorney Josh Steinglass, was the jury's introduction during the evidentiary phase of the trial to the woman whose long-denied claim of a sexual tryst with Donald Trump set in motion the alleged falsification of business records.

"Stormy Daniels is, or was, a porn star," former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker replied, using Clifford's stage name.

Pecker was having dinner with his wife on a Saturday night in early October 2016 when he said he received an urgent call from National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard.

"He said that she, she being Stormy Daniels, is trying to sell a story that she had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump, and Dylan can acquire the story for $120,000 from Keith Davidson if we made a decision right now," Pecker recalled.

In a series of text messages the jury saw, Howard told Pecker, "I know denials were made in the past but this story is true."

Pecker replied to Howard, "We can't pay 120k." The company had already paid $30,000 for the Dino Sajudin story and $150,000 for the Karen McDougal story, and Pecker recalled thinking, "I am not a bank."

In the text exchange, Howard responded, "Perhaps I call Michael and advise him and he can take it from there, and handle."

Pecker texted back, "Yes a good idea."

Pecker recalled having "a number of conversations" with Michael Cohen about Stormy Daniels. Cohen wanted Pecker to catch and kill the story.

"I said, 'I am not purchasing this story, I am not going to get involved with a porn star,'" Pecker testified he told Cohen. "He was upset and said the boss would be furious with me."