A New York judge on Monday dismissed President-elect Donald Trump’s claim that a recent Supreme Court ruling granting presidents broad immunity nullified his criminal conviction for falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal.

According to the New York Times, the ruling upheld Mr Trump’s conviction on 34 felony charges, stemming from allegations that Mr Trump falsified business records during a personal and political crisis that unfolded before his presidency.

Justice Juan M. Merchan, who presided over the trial, rejected arguments from Mr Trump’s legal team that testimony from former White House employees tainted the verdict.

His lawyers had cited a controversial aspect of the Supreme Court’s decision, which prohibits evidence tied to a president’s official acts from being used, even in cases focused on private misconduct.

“The People’s use of these acts as evidence of the decidedly personal acts of falsifying business records poses no danger of intrusion on the authority and function of the executive branch,” Mr Merchan wrote in his 41-page decision.

The judge also noted that even admitting such evidence was an error, it was ultimately harmless given the “overwhelming evidence of guilt” presented at trial.

Prosecutors argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling had no bearing on the case since the charges related to actions taken before Mr Trump’s presidency.

Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Mr Trump, denounced the ruling as “a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s decision on immunity.”

In a statement, he described the case as “lawless” and called for its dismissal.

While Justice Merchan’s decision represents a significant legal setback for Mr Trump, the immunity question is far from settled.

Mr Trump can now appeal the ruling to clear his record before returning to the White House.