In December, when a federal appeals court agreed to hear former President Donald J. Trump’s sweeping claims to be immune from charges of plotting overturn the 2020 election, it laid out a lightning-fast briefing schedule, asking the defense and prosecution to file their papers on successive Saturdays during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
But after sending up what appeared to be clear signals that they intended to swiftly resolve this phase of the immunity dispute — which lies at the heart of both the viability and timing of Mr. Trump’s trial on the election subversion charges — the appeals court judges have yet to issue a decision.
The implications are already coming into focus.
On Friday, the Federal District Court judge overseeing election case, Tanya S. Chutkan, formally scrapped her plan to start the trial on March 4.
She was bowing to the reality that time had run out to get the proceeding going by then, mostly because of the wrangling over Mr. Trump’s immunity claim, and said she would set a new date “if and when” that matter is resolved.
Persons:
Donald J, Trump’s, Tanya S, Chutkan
Organizations:
U.S ., Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, Federal