Everything you need to know about Donald Trump’s arrest and booking in Atlanta this week

Former President Donald Trump says he will surrender at the Fulton County jail on Thursday in the fourth criminal case against him -- and the second for conspiring with others to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost in Georgia.

Here's what might happen, and when -- including whether he'll get his first mug shot.

What happens when Trump surrenders? Will he be arrested?

Yes, all defendants are technically arrested in such cases, even if they voluntarily surrender, in a process known as booking.

In the current case, Trump and his 18 co-defendants accused of trying to steal the 2020 presidential election in Georgia are expected to be booked at the notorious Fulton County Jail on Rice Street in downtown Atlanta.

The facility has a history of poor conditions and bad management, and it often takes several hours for defendants to be processed into the system. But the former president likely won't stay there long given his stature and the worldwide attention being paid to the case.

More: Death threats, extremists ... and worry: Why Trump's looming Georgia indictment is different

Typically, defendants who get booked at the county jail are searched, weighed, undergo a brief medical screening, get fingerprinted and have their photo -- or mug shot -- taken. Because it's anything but typical for a former president to be booked, it's not clear what the booking process will be like for Trump and some of his high-profile co-defendants, including his former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows.

“We’re in uncharted waters at this point,” Chris Timmons, a former prosecutor and now a law partner at Knowles Gallant Timmons in Atlanta, told CNN. “We haven’t had a former United States president or anyone with Secret Service protection booked into the Fulton County jail.”

Will Trump really have his mug shot taken?

Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat has indicated publicly that Trump would be treated differently in Atlanta than he has during his past three arraignments – but just the same as any other criminal defendant being processed into the county criminal justice system. “It doesn’t matter your status,” he said at a press briefing. ”We have a mug shot ready for you.

“Unless someone tells me differently,” he added, “we are following our normal practices.”

That could change though, as Trump's lawyers are still negotiating the conditions of his surrender. and processing. It's also not known whether, and when, such a mug shot would be released publicly.

In Trump's previous cases, authorities didn't require mug shots − which are typically taken so authorities have a current photo on hand to post publicly if a suspect becomes a fugitive − because the former president is so widely recognized. Trump was fingerprinted, however.

Even though Trump did not have a mug shot taken during processing in his first three criminal cases, his campaign for the 2024 presidential election created one for fundraising purposes.

When will Trump surrender?

Trump and the other defendants have until noon Friday to turn themselves in to face justice. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, whose office is leading the case, gave them a nearly two-week window for self-surrender so their lawyers could discuss with authorities how to make sure the process goes smoothly.

More: Trump to turn himself in for arrest at Fulton County jail on Thursday in election fraud case

Technically, the jail is open 24 hours a day and Trump and the others can show up at any time, Labat's office said last week in a statement.

“At this point, based on guidance received from the district attorney’s office and presiding judge, it is expected that all 19 defendants named in the indictment will be booked at the Rice Street Jail,” the statement said.

But the sheriff added that arrangements are subject to change. "Due to the unprecedented nature of this case, some circumstances may change with little or no warning," the statement said.

Trump's surrender will be Thursday, he says

Trump confirmed Monday on his Truth Social platform that he’s going to Atlanta on Thursday to face law enforcement officials. In the post, he accused Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Department of Justice officials of seeking to target his 2024 reelection campaign without evidence.

"Can you believe it? I’ll be going to Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday to be ARRESTED,” Trump shared.

Also, Trump's lawyers agreed Monday to post $200,000 as a condition of his release, including $80,000 for racketeering and $10,000 for each of his other 12 counts. That means Trump needs to pony up only $20,000 to remain free before his trial on racketeering and other charges. As part of the deal, Trump was ordered to abide by pre-trial conditions that include not breaking any laws, not intimidating witnesses and not communicating with the 18 other co-defendants.

When will Trump have to appear in court?

That's not clear yet, at least publicly.

The initial processing is separate from the arraignment, when defendants enter a formal plea to the charges. Arraignments, in this case are expected the week of Sept. 5.

In the meantime, Trump and his criminal co-defendants may not have to appear in court at all.

Those booked in Fulton County typically are required to appear before a judge within 72 hours. But attorneys for some of the defendants have said publicly that they won’t have initial court appearances because they’ve already been indicted and will mostly likely have negotiated their bond ahead of time.

It's also possible that arraignments in the case might be handled online, the sheriff's office statement said: “In this case, some arraignments/appearances may be virtual as dictated by the presiding judge.”

In New York, Florida and Washington, D.C., Trump was required to appear in person to plead not guilty after traveling with his Secret Service motorcade to the courthouses.

Contributing: Bart Jansen and Sudiksha Kochi

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Trump's surrender in fourth criminal case Thursday will look like