The trial of former President Donald Trump for purportedly falsifying business records is back underway in Manhattan. Before calling witness Gary Farro, a finance executive who assisted former Trump attorney Michael Cohen with his banking, back to the stand, Judge Juan Merchan issued a couple of significant rulings. 

First, regarding Trump's request that he be excused from trial on May 17 to attend the high school graduation of his youngest son, Barron, Merchan agreed. 

"I don't think the May 17 date is a problem," Merchan said, noting that a jury was picked quickly and things have been moving.

However, Merchan followed that order up with a sooner-than-expected ruling on the gag order violations raised by the prosecution. (A hearing had previously been set on the matter for Thursday.) Finding that Trump violated the order in nine of the 10 instances raised by the prosecution, Merchan fined him $9,000 ($1,000 for each violation) and ordered that he remove the offending posts. Further, he warned Trump that continued violations of the gag order could result in jail time. 

Trump must remove the seven "offending posts" from Truth Social and the two "offending posts" from his campaign website by 2:15 p.m. today.

According to the order, "THEREFORE, Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment."

According to CNN's reporter in the courtroom, Trump did not react visibly to the judge's ruling. 

RedState is providing live updates of the trial as it continues.