The U.S Supreme Court made indications on Monday that they will quickly address whether to step in and handle the rift resulting from criminal indictments against former President Donald Trump, based on efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. The high court has advised Trump’s legal team to present a response by December 20 to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s request about whether the previous president qualifies for absolute immunity.
Jack Smith is advising the justices to bypass a federal appeals court for immediate review of a trial judge’s refusal to dismiss the indictment against Trump. He asserts that it is of critical public importance that the matter is resolved with haste.
If the justices decide not to review the case, they can wait until the verdict from the appeals court. Smith’s filing is the first occurrence in which the Supreme Court has been drawn into the ongoing criminal cases against Trump – the potential candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
The order from the Supreme Court accedes to Smith’s request to speed up the handling of the matter, although he had suggested a response from Trump’s lawyers even earlier, by December 18. Smith has also asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to quicken the hearing on the immunity issue to prepare for a possible refusal by the Supreme Court. That court has given Trump until December 13 to respond to the government’s request.
For reference, the case in question is United States v. Trump, 23-624.