Judge Aileen Cannon agreed on July 6 to grant a partial delay in former President Donald Trump’s classified documents trial. This decision came after his legal team requested more time, arguing they should be allowed to present their case regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s immunity ruling before the trial proceeds.
In a paperless order issued on July 6, Judge Cannon granted a temporary stay of three upcoming deadlines in the case. This extension provides more time for Trump’s attorneys and special counsel Jack Smith’s team to file additional briefs addressing how the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity should impact the case.
The delayed deadlines include expert disclosures from Trump’s attorneys, initially due on July 8, reciprocal discovery from Trump’s legal team, originally set for July 10, and the special counsel’s CIPA submission, also due on July 10.
Following Judge Cannon’s order, the special counsel must respond to former President Trump’s motion by July 18, with any reply due by July 21. The court will decide on the additional briefing request after receiving these responses.
All other deadlines remain unchanged.
Judge Cannon’s order follows the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on former President Trump’s immunity claim.
The Supreme Court ruled that former President Trump, like all presidents, has “absolute immunity” from charges related to official acts within their “core constitutional powers,” and also enjoys “presumptive immunity” for other actions taken while in office.
Citing the Supreme Court ruling, former President Trump’s attorneys filed a request on Friday asking Judge Cannon to halt most of the proceedings in the case until she can resolve his immunity defense.
“Resolution of these threshold questions is necessary to minimize the adverse consequences to the institution of the Presidency arising from this unconstitutional investigation and prosecution,” the Trump team wrote in the filing.
Previously, Mr. Smith’s team argued that the special counsel’s office had not charged former President Trump for any official acts in the classified records case. The initial indictment accuses him of retaining sensitive materials after leaving the White House in early 2021 and allegedly obstructing federal officials’ efforts to retrieve them.
“Even though Trump lost the authority to possess documents containing national defense information after his term as President ended, he nonetheless willfully retained such documents,” prosecutors wrote in March, arguing that his claims about immunity should be rendered moot.
Former President Trump has pleaded not guilty in the case.
In their brief on Friday, Trump’s attorneys requested a stay of the deadlines, arguing that it would prevent further misuse of judicial resources. They also claimed that the recent Supreme Court decision undermines the special counsel’s argument against former President Trump’s immunity in the case.
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