Judge sets trial date for Trump documents case

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (FLV) – Judge Aileen Cannon has set a trial date for former President Donald Trump in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.

The trial is scheduled for May 20, 2024, after Cannon rejected Trump’s legal team’s request to indefinitely delay the matter.

While the trial date is set for May, delays are anticipated as Trump’s defense team plans to file various motions in the case.

Judge Cannon denied the request for an indefinite suspension; however, she did acknowledge the complexities of the case and largely agreed with Trump’s lawyers’ arguments that additional time was needed for a fair trial.

The government’s proposed schedule, set for December of this year, was deemed “atypically accelerated” by Cannon and inconsistent with ensuring due process.

Trump’s legal team has stressed the necessity to review all discovery materials in the case, emphasizing that the amount of evidence is voluminous and likely to increase as the trial approaches.

The defense’s request for more time to review and evaluate the evidence was also granted by Judge Cannon.

The case against the former president includes 37 counts, ranging from violations of the Espionage Act to obstruction of justice.

The charges stem from allegations surrounding classified documents the former president kept at Mar-a-Lago.

The trial’s timeline is expected to be impacted by the filing of various motions by Trump’s defense team, potentially pushing the trial closer to the presidential election.

Judge Cannon alluded to the likelihood of further delays resulting from these motions, which would necessitate considerable time for court review, independent of the merits of the motions themselves.

As the trial date approaches, both parties are expected to intensify their preparations for the legal battle ahead.

The case has garnered significant attention due to its implications for the former president and his ongoing campaign for president.