Donald Trump’s arraignment took 45 minutes, but path to trial may take a couple years
- Former US president Donald Trump is accused of unlawfully keeping classified documents when he left the White House
- The trial date, and its location, could be a crucial factor for Trump, the Republican front-runner for president in 2024
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Donald Trump slams US President Biden after pleading not guilty in classified documents case
Donald Trump’s arraignment took only 45 minutes on Tuesday in Miami federal court, where the former president sat silently the entire time, but it’s likely to be more than a year before his historic classified documents case goes to trial – even possibly beyond the November 2024 presidential election.
But speed won’t be the operative word to describe the path forward to his trial, legal experts said, regardless of the Southern District of Florida’s reputation for having a “rocket docket” in which judges typically move criminal cases quickly.
“The Trump documents case isn’t going to trial any time soon and probably won’t be ready for trial before spring 2024,” said Miami lawyer Joseph DeMaria, who once worked in the Justice Department’s organised crime task force in South Florida. “But even then, if the judge grants any defence motions before trial, the government would appeal, taking up even more time. Then you’re looking at the summer of 2024 with the presidential election around the corner. It could easily be delayed until 2025.”
The trial date, and its location – Miami or West Palm Beach – could be a crucial factor for Trump, the front-runner in a crowded field of candidates for the Republican nomination for president.
For starters, the former president’s defence team is expected to challenge the indictment based on selective prosecution of Trump and not other politicians who also possessed classified records; file motions to suppress government evidence and witness testimony; and argue that the trial be held in West Palm Beach.