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President-elect Trump’s strategy of delaying legal proceedings is reshaping the course of his four criminal cases, as his election win alters their trajectories.
Special counsel Jack Smith moved Monday to dismiss two federal cases against Trump, and his legal team now argues that state-level cases should also be dismissed as he prepares to return to the White House.
Here’s an updated look at the status of Trump’s legal battles.
Hush Money Case
Trump’s New York case, involving a 2016 hush money payment to an adult film actress, had advanced the furthest and resulted in the only criminal conviction among the charges he faced.
The case is now in a state of uncertainty.
Trump delayed his sentencing on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records multiple times, pushing it past the election. The sentencing, initially set for Tuesday, was canceled following his election victory.
New York Judge Juan Merchan must now consider Trump’s legal team’s request to dismiss the jury’s guilty verdict and the case entirely, citing his presidential status as justification.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) has stated he prefers the verdict to stand but is open to pausing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029.
Both parties will submit written arguments to the court, with Trump’s dismissal motion due by Monday and Bragg’s response expected by Dec. 9.
Additionally, Merchan has yet to rule on whether the verdict is invalidated by the Supreme Court’s recent presidential immunity ruling.
Georgia Election Interference Case
In Georgia, Trump and several allies face racketeering charges for alleged efforts to overturn President Biden’s 2020 victory in the state.
This case is the only one where neither prosecutors nor defense lawyers have filed motions to halt proceedings following Trump’s election.
Trial proceedings were already paused as Trump pursued an appeal to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) due to her romantic relationship with a senior prosecutor in the case. The Georgia Court of Appeals had scheduled oral arguments for Dec. 5 but canceled them without explanation earlier this month.
It is unclear whether the cancellation is related to Trump’s election victory. The prosecution could still pursue trials for Trump’s co-defendants even as Trump’s case is likely paused during his presidency.
Federal Election Interference Case
Special counsel Jack Smith dismissed Trump’s federal election interference case following his election win, with approval from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
This ended the prosecution that sought to hold Trump accountable for actions surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and his efforts to disrupt the transfer of power.
Smith clarified that the decision was not due to the merits of the charges but based on a Justice Department policy barring charges against a sitting president. The case was dismissed “without prejudice,” allowing for the possibility of charges being refiled after Trump leaves office.
Federal Classified Documents Case
Smith also sought to withdraw an appeal in Trump’s classified documents case in Florida, following a lower court ruling that dismissed the case.
The appeal primarily focused on overturning U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision that Smith’s appointment as special counsel was unlawful—a ruling that countered decades of precedent.
If the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals grants the request, Trump’s prosecution under the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice charges related to retaining over 300 classified documents would conclude.
However, the charges against Trump’s co-defendants—valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos de Oliveira—remain active.
