Hunter, the son of US President Joe Biden, has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the purchase and possession of a firearm.

The criminal trial against Hunter Biden has begun in federal court in the US state of Delaware, as the son of US President Joe Biden is accused of weapons offenses in a historic case.

Hunter Biden, 54, arrived at the courthouse on Monday to attend the first trial of the child of a sitting president. faced with three felony charges arising from the purchase and possession of a revolver in 2018. He has pleaded not guilty.

The trial, which began on Monday with jury selection, comes as Joe Biden campaigns for re-election.

First Lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden's wife Melissa Cohen Biden and his half-sister Ashley Biden were present at the hearing in Wilmington before U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika.

“Jill and I love our son and we are so proud of the man he is today,” Joe Biden said in a statement, adding that many families have loved ones who have overcome addiction.

Charges against Hunter Biden He lied about his use of illegal drugs when purchasing a .38 caliber Colt Cobra revolver and illegally possessed the weapon for eleven days in October 2018.

If convicted on all counts in the Delaware case, Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. However, defendants typically receive shorter sentences.

The case is expected to revolve around Hunter Biden's years of crack use and addiction, which he has discussed publicly and which forms an important part of his 2021 autobiography, “Beautiful Things.” At a hearing last year, he told Noreika that he had been sober since mid-2019.

Prosecutors will try to prove that Hunter Biden knew he was lying when he checked the “no” box on a federal gun purchase form when asked whether he was an illicit user of a controlled substance.

Prosecution lawyers said in court filings that they may use details they collected from Hunter Biden's phone and iCloud account, including photos of him smoking crack and messaging drug dealers. They said they may call his ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, as a witness.

Hunter Biden's lawyers have indicated they may try to prove that he completed a drug rehabilitation program before purchasing the gun and may have believed his answers on the gun purchase form to be truthful.

Noreika issued several orders over the weekend requested by prosecutors that appeared to undermine Biden's legal strategy.

The judge said Biden's legal team could not provide expert testimony confirming that people suffering from substance abuse disorder do not necessarily consider themselves addicts.

That testimony could have helped Biden prove he didn't know he was lying on the background check form. The government must prove that Biden knowingly lied.