More than 500 New Yorkers Will Report for Jury Duty Ahead of Trump's First Trial. 12 Will Determine His Fate

Donald Trump's hush money trial kicks off with jury selection on Monday, April 15, when attorneys will face the tall task of finding a dozen jurors who can be trusted to judge the former president fairly

Donald Trump's fate on 34 felony charges in Manhattan will soon be decided by a small panel of jurors, who'll be tasked with putting their personal opinions aside to fairly weigh the evidence presented at trial.

Of course, sourcing 12 unbiased jurors in a criminal case involving Trump will prove remarkably difficult, which is why the court has summoned more than 500 New Yorkers to report for jury duty on Monday, April 15, according to CBS News.

The jury selection process for a candidate pool of that size could take several days — or weeks — to complete, as the judge, prosecutors and defense attorneys scramble to find a dozen worthy Manhattan residents to seat on the jury (plus some alternates).

Related: The Biggest Bombshells in Donald Trump's First Indictment, from Hush Money Payments to 'Friends in High Places'

Trump became the first-ever U.S. president to face criminal charges last spring, when a grand jury indicted him on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The indictment accused the former president of lying on financial documents by fraudulently disguising hush money payments as legal expenses in violation of state law.

Related: Stormy Daniels Was 'Completely Sure' She'd Be Murdered After Taking on Trump: 'If Something Happens to Me...'

Jury selection in this case carries remarkably high stakes: If the jurors who are chosen decide to convict the Republican presidential nominee, he could face up to four years in prison for each count.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.

While a conviction in itself would not disqualify Trump from returning to the White House next year, it could have a significant impact on the election outcome. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in April, roughly one-quarter of Republican respondents stated that they would not vote for Trump if a jury deems him guilty of committing a felony.

Trump faces felony charges in three other criminal cases, as well — two of which are at the federal level. Trial dates in those cases have not yet been set, though six in 10 Americans who were polled by Reuters/Ipsos said they would like to see verdicts reached before filling out their ballot in November.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.