President-elect Trump has been ordered to appear for sentencing in the phony hush money case on January 10th.

Trump’s legal team is expected to appeal the decision to try and get it halted on the basis of the Supreme Court’s immunity decision.

ABC NEWS – The judge in Donald Trump’s New York criminal hush money case indicated Friday that he intends to sentence the president-elect to an “unconditional discharge” out of respect for the presidential immunity doctrine.

Judge Juan Merchan ordered Trump to appear, either in person or virtually, for sentencing on Jan. 10, which is 10 days before Trump’s presidential inauguration.

Merchan, in his ruling Friday, called an unconditional discharge the “most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options.”

Trump faces the possibility of up to four years in prison for his conviction, though most legal experts believe he is more likely to receive a lighter sentence.

Trump’s legal team is expected to try to stop the Jan. 10 sentencing, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News. His lawyers intend to ask an intermediate New York appellate court to intervene and stop the sentencing hearing from going forward, the sources said.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung, in a statement, called Merchan’s ruling “a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence.”

“President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts. There should be no sentencing,” the statement said.

This really is outrageous. The case should have never been filed and there’s no way Trump can serve any time because he’s about to be president.

What I suspect he’s going to do is give Trump a massive fine, just like the other outrageous New York case. I hope his legal team is able to stop this from happening.

UPDATE: Jonathan Tuley weighs in…