Donald Trump is to be sentenced for his hush money conviction on January 10, just 10 days before his inauguration
AFP

Lawyers for President-elect Donald Trump have petitioned the Supreme Court to delay sentencing in his New York hush money case, arguing it could unfairly impact his presidency.

Convicted in May on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, Trump denied wrongdoing and is seeking an immediate stay, claiming a felony conviction would cause "grave injustice" and disrupt federal government operations, according tothe Associated Press.

Judge Juan M. Merchan is set to sentence Trump on Friday.

Trump's lawyers cited presidential immunity in their filing, asserting the New York trial court lacks authority during ongoing appeals.

The high court told prosecutors to respond to the filing by Thursday.

Trump was convicted in New York in connection with how a hush money payment of $130,000 to Stormy Daniels, presumably as a cover up for their alleged 2006 affair, was recorded as a business transaction.

Trump has repeatedly denied Daniels' claims of a sexual encounter and labeled the case as politically motivated.