The judge is now going back and forth with the lawyers for both sides referring to written briefings filed with the court (especially the timelines filed on March 21), but not yet publicly available — underscoring the difficulty the press faces in covering filings that aren’t under seal but haven’t been seen yet.

Trump leaned over to Bove a moment ago and whispered, with Bove then appearing to pass a message to Blanche, who stood to press the documents issue further with Merchan, citing the Mueller probe, the "Access Hollywood" tape, and more.

“We want to be accurate, every document is important,” Blanche insisted.

Merchan is zeroing in on what appears to be his view that the defense has selectively brought up this issue over the documents too late in the game. He’s reminding defense counsel that back at a hearing in February they asked for the trial date to be delayed then too but didn’t bring up the fight over documents.

Blanche said that the number of new documents has grown since last week and said they have asked for meetings with the FBI related to the 2016 investigations into Trump.

Merchan said of former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, "What does that have to do with this case?"

Remember the entire reason we are here today is to figure out how much time the defense team needs to review these documents so a trial date can be set.

They are trying to convince this judge that there are “thousands” of potentially relevant documents to go through but the judge is pushing hard to pin down a firm number and Blanche is struggling.

“Give me a sense," Merchan asks Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche. "Give me your best estimate. I realize you’re still going through it.”

“Your honor, I mean thousands. Thousands," Blanche says.

Merchan pushes him: “2,000? 20,000?”

“Tens of thousands is the answer, your honor," Blanche replies.

Trump has spent the last few moments facing his attorney as Blanche goes back and forth with the judge.

Blanche seemed caught off guard by harsh questioning from Merchan, pushing him on why he did not bring up a request for more time at an earlier date.

Merchan questions the defense on why they didn't bring up a request for more time during a hearing last month.

“Why didn’t you bring any of this to my attention? Why didn’t you tell the court or anyone in the courtroom at that time that you had made this request, that it was taking a little longer than you expected?” Merchan asked. “So how come you didn’t bring them up?”

Todd Blanche, a lawyer for Trump, argued that there is new information to consider, saying that the Southern District of New York notified both parties last night about new documents related to Stephanie Clifford, Daniels' legal name.

Blanche said that Trump’s lawyers do not know the volume of the material or when they will receive it, but that it relates to prior statements Clifford gave to the FBI and trial exhibits.

Merchan said that he appreciates the new information being brought to his attention but added, “I don’t think it’s related to the hearing, but thank you.”

After going through the court filings from the last several weeks in painstaking detail, Merchan says: “This court is of the opinion that there are really not significant questions of fact to be resolved."