Judge outlines evidence rules, scheduling for Hunter Biden tax trial

A federal judge in California on Wednesday outlined the evidence and testimony that can be included in first son Hunter Biden's tax evasion trial next month, and clarified the trial's schedule.

Biden will stand trial for allegedly failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes next month, with jury selection beginning on Sept. 5. He has pleaded not guilty to the three felony and six misdemeanor charges, which carry a total of up to 17 years in prison if convicted. 

U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi said that the trial will begin with jury selection, and then advance to opening statements the following Monday, on Sept. 9, per NBC News. He also said there would be no trial days on Mondays, except for opening arguments. 

Prosecutors said they expect it to take six days to present their side of the case, which will include testimony from less than 30 people. The defense expects their rebuttal to take two days.

Scarsi also detailed what could be included in witness and expert testimonies, limiting the defense from spending too much time discussing the root cause of his drug addiction. But he also banned prosecutors from mentioning that Biden was kicked out of the Navy because of his addiction.

Biden's defense lawyer Mark Geragos requested to include testimony about several traumas in the first son's life that led to his drug addiction, such as the deaths of his mother and sister in a car crash when he was three, and the death of his brother Beau Biden in 2015.

“The DOJ wants to paint a picture of a guy without a care in the world, partying at Chateau Marmont, without giving context as to what from his past may have affected him,” Geragos told the judge.

Prosecutor Leo Wise claimed that the cause of the addiction should not matter, because "no matter how many drugs you take, you don’t forget that you owe millions of dollars in taxes."

Scarsi agreed that the deaths of Biden's mother and sister were not relevant, and limited the testimony about his brother's death, asserting that the defense cannot use it as a cause of the addiction.

The trial is Biden's second criminal trial this year. He was previously convicted by a Delaware jury on three gun charges in June. He will be sentenced in the case on Nov. 13. 

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.