A judge has ordered that President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced on 10 January in his hush-money case in New York – less than two weeks before he is set to be sworn in as president.

Judge Juan Merchan said he would not sentence Trump to any jail time and the president-elect could appear in person or virtually for the hearing.

The hearing is scheduled 10 days before Trump’s inauguration ceremony in Washington DC on 20 January.

The case stems from Trump being convicted in May of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Trump’s defence had argued the case would hang over him during his presidency and impede his ability to govern.

A sentence of “unconditional discharge” – meaning no custody, monetary fine or probation – was recommended by Justice Merhcan as “the most viable solution”.

The president-elect was initially scheduled to be sentenced on 26 November, but Justice Merchan pushed the date back after Trump won the presidential election.

A spokesperson for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.