President's son Hunter Biden appeared in federal court on Wednesday as Judge Maryellen Noreika considered whether to accept or reject the plea deal he negotiated last month with federal prosecutors. The hearing became contentious as the judge expressed concerns about the structure of the agreement and requested additional briefings from both parties before making a decision on the next steps.

Judge Noreika, a district judge in the District of Delaware since August 2018, was nominated by former President in December 2017 to fill a seat vacated by Gregory Sleet. Prior to becoming a federal judge, Noreika worked in private practice from 1993 to 2018. She holds a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, as well as a graduate degree from Columbia University and a bachelor of science from Lehigh University.

The initial plea deal came after a five-year Justice Department probe into Hunter Biden. Prosecutors from the U.S. attorney's office in Delaware, led by U.S. Attorney David Weiss, had been investigating Hunter Biden's taxes and allegations of lying on a gun application form. They also looked into his overseas business ventures. In June, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to two tax-related misdemeanors and agreed to a pretrial diversion agreement to avoid prosecution on a felony gun charge.

However, the plea deal fell apart during the hearing, leading Hunter Biden to enter a not guilty plea to the charges. Republican lawmakers have criticized the plea agreement as a "sweetheart deal" and urged Judge Noreika to deny it until testimony from two whistleblowers is reviewed. These whistleblowers have alleged that Hunter Biden benefited from political interference that raises questions about the propriety of the investigation.

The White House has repeatedly emphasized that President Joe Biden had no involvement in his son's foreign business dealings and that the federal investigation does not implicate him in any way. The president has maintained that he and Hunter Biden never discussed the foreign business ventures.

In conclusion, Hunter Biden's plea deal faced scrutiny in federal court as Judge Noreika deferred a decision and requested additional briefings. The hearing became contentious, and Republican lawmakers pushed for the plea agreement to be denied until testimony from whistleblowers is reviewed. The White House continues to distance President Joe Biden from the investigation.