WATCH | Donald Trump's historical day of indictment in an American first

The 45th president of the US, Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of fraud in Manhattan, New York, on Tuesday in a historic day for the country.

No other president or former president has been charged with alleged crimes.

New York prosecutors took the controversial step last Thursday by filing criminal charges against  Trump.

The decision by the Manhattan district attorney to charge Trump for hush money payments to adult movie actress Stormy Daniels, during his 2016 campaign, is just one of the many probes facing the Republican as he makes another run at the White House.

After Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges of falsifying business records on Tuesday, judge Juan Merchan set the next court hearing for December 4.

Prosecutors said they plan to request a trial date of January 2024, while Trump's legal team suggested a spring 2024 trial.

WHAT IS AN INDICTMENT?

An indictment is a court document containing charges that were voted on by a grand jury, a group of people who decide whether a prosecutor has enough evidence to pursue criminal charges.

An indictment formally charges a defendant with a crime and provides a basis for legal prosecution.

After an indictment, a defendant is given formal notice of the charges, a right enshrined in the Fifth Amendment of the US constitution.

A defendant can then be formally arraigned on whatever charges are brought. Law enforcement officials fingerprint and photograph most defendants facing arraignments.

WHAT IS AN ARRAIGNMENT?

An arraignment is where a defendant is brought to court to hear charges and have a chance to enter a plea, which is generally guilty or not guilty.

A judge or prosecutor typically reads the charges aloud. A defendant is usually represented by lawyers, especially in cases that are high-profile or could lead to jail or prison.

If a defendant pleads not guilty, a judge will typically accept the plea and schedule the next court appearance and perhaps a tentative trial date.

If a defendant pleads guilty, the judge will impose punishment, typically at a later date.

Lawyers for some defendants who plead not guilty may engage in plea bargaining, where they negotiate a guilty plea with prosecutors to avoid a trial. Defendants would typically plead guilty to some but not all charges they face.