Apr 4, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Trump's trio of court losses

Erin Doherty

Former President Donald Trump speaks to guests at a rally on April 02, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. — Former President Trump speaks at a rally on April 2 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Three judges this week rejected attempts by former President Trump to toss out or further delay his criminal cases, delivering a blow to the GOP frontrunner barreling closer toward his first criminal trial.

Why it matters: Trump has had success in delaying his four criminal indictments, injecting uncertainty into his legal calendar, but the rulings this week allow his trial proceedings, at least for now, to continue.

Driving the news: On Thursday, the Florida judge overseeing Trump's classified documents case rejected his bid to throw out the case on grounds that he is immune from charges because of the Presidential Records Act.

Earlier in the day, the judge overseeing his Georgia 2020 election case also rejected a motion from the former president's legal team to dismiss the case on First Amendment claims.
On Wednesday, the judge overseeing Trump's 2016 hush money case denied a Hail Mary attempt to delay the start of his case, which is currently set to begin on April 15.

The big picture: Trump's legal team has tried relentlessly to push off his four criminal indictments until after the 2024 presidential election or dismiss them altogether.

And they've had success in delaying proceedings in his cases. Trump's New York criminal case, which was originally set to begin on March 25, could be the only one to wrap up before November.
Trump, who has denied wrongdoing across his indictments, had made more than half a dozen requests to postpone his New York trial's start date, Forbes reports.

Go deeper: Trump hush money trial will begin April 15

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Trump's trio of court losses

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