A federal judge overseeing Special Counsel Jack Smith's case against former President Trump has scheduled a conference for Aug. 16 to discuss the next steps in the legal proceedings.
Judge Tanya Chutkan swiftly acted upon receiving the case back from the U.S. Supreme Court, which recently ruled on the extent of Trump's claim of presidential immunity from prosecution. The Supreme Court clarified that a president is immune from prosecution for official acts while in office but not for unofficial actions, leading to the case being remanded for trial.
During the upcoming conference, prosecutors and Trump's defense team will collaborate to establish a timeline for pretrial procedures and address how the Supreme Court's ruling should be applied in this specific case. Although Chutkan rejected a defense motion to dismiss the charges against Trump, she granted the defense the opportunity to refile the motion once all immunity issues are resolved.
According to Chutkan's order, the parties are required to submit a joint status report by August 9, 2024, proposing a schedule for the upcoming pretrial proceedings. Any disagreements between the parties can be outlined in separate sections of the report.
The case is expected to involve open court hearings, during which the judge will determine the admissibility of the Special Counsel's evidence in the trial.
In a recent ruling in Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court affirmed that a former president retains significant immunity from prosecution for official acts conducted during their tenure but not for unofficial actions. The Court's decision prompted a return of the case to the lower court for further proceedings.
Special Counsel Jack Smith has charged Trump with various offenses, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights, all stemming from investigations into Trump's potential involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and alleged interference in the 2020 election.
Trump, who pleaded not guilty to all charges last summer, is unlikely to face trial before the upcoming Election Day on Nov. 5.
