The Supreme Court‘s decision to take up a case on whether former President Donald Trump can assert presidential immunity has thrown him a lifeline.
The justices’ decision on Wednesday to weigh in on special counsel Jack Smith’s petition means Trump could postpone some of his legal challenges until after November. Whether the court rules in Trump’s favor or not, it looks like Trump was handed another win as he tries to fight a multifront legal war.
Trump faces 91 felony counts in four criminal cases in Washington, Florida, New York, and Georgia. The former president has pleaded not guilty to all charges. In terms of polling and fundraising, what once appeared to be a death sentence for Trump has morphed into a boon for his campaign.
Election interference — Washington, D.C.
The court will hear oral arguments about whether Trump can claim presidential immunity during the week of April 22. The high-stakes dispute over whether Trump is immune from being prosecuted on charges of trying to reverse the 2020 election results could alter more than just the timeline of the cases. It could offer him a robust defense as well.
The federal election interference case in Washington, brought by Smith, was originally set for March 4, but a judge postponed the trial. A three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit then rejected Trump’s immunity claim on Feb. 6. But now, the Supreme Court agreed to weigh in, meaning a trial over the former president’s role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot will likely not end, or even begin, before the general election in November.
Classified documents — Washington, D.C.
The trial on charges that Trump illegally retained classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate could also be muddied. Trump’s attorneys have asked a federal judge multiple times to throw out the criminal case over claims that he’s immune from prosecution, arguing he acted while he was still president.
The case is set to go to trial in May but could be delayed amid discussion about classified evidence.
Election interference — Georgia
No trial date has been set in the Georgia case, in which the former president faces charges of attempting to subvert the state’s 2020 election. Prosecutors have pushed for a summer start date before the general election, and judges have rejected Trump’s request to delay the start of his third criminal case.
However, hearings are being held regarding Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Willis’s misconduct allegations create uncertainty about whether the case will move forward and how quickly.
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Hush money payments — New York
The trial for the first of Trump’s four indictments, charges he falsified business records related to making hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels when he was a candidate in 2016, is scheduled to begin on March 25.
The former president has tried and failed to delay his first criminal trial, which is widely considered to be the weakest of the four indictments.
