The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on absolute immunity for former presidents could delay former President Donald Trump’s trial in Georgia until after the 2024 presidential election.
Atlanta News First reported that the court’s decision, which grants former presidents absolute immunity for their official acts, is expected to significantly impact the numerous legal battles involving Trump.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court decreed that former presidents are entitled to absolute immunity for their official acts, while unofficial acts will not be afforded the same protection.
This ruling has significant implications for Trump's indictment in Georgia, where he and 13 other GOP affiliates face organized crime charges.
The justices have designated lower courts to interpret how this immunity ruling will apply to Trump's situation, adding another layer of complexity to the proceedings.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s case against Trump in Washington, D.C., where Trump faces four charges to which he has pleaded not guilty, is also expected to be influenced by this ruling.
Cases against Trump in South Florida and Fulton County, Georgia, may also be affected.
The Supreme Court’s decision, delivered swiftly compared to other high-profile cases involving the presidency, such as the Watergate tapes case, reduces the possibility of Trump standing trial before the November 2024 election.
Historically, Trump's legal team has adopted a strategy of delaying trial starts in his myriad criminal cases. In Georgia, the Court of Appeals has halted proceedings in the Fulton County election interference case until a decision is made regarding the potential disqualification of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Willis had indicted Trump and 17 GOP allies in August 2023 on charges related to overturning Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results.
Four of those indicted have since accepted plea deals. Allegations of an inappropriate relationship between Willis and then-special prosecutor Nathan Wade surfaced in January, culminating in a courtroom airing of personal details in mid-February.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee denied efforts to remove Willis from the case over her relationship with Wade. However, he required Wade’s removal, leading Wade to resign hours after McAfee's ruling. Trump and several co-defendants appealed McAfee's decision on April 1, causing the appeal to be scheduled for the Georgia Court of Appeals' August 2024 term.
The docket for case A24I0160 (Donald John Trump et al. v. The State) specifies that the court must render a decision by March 14, 2025. This timeline underscores the importance and urgency attached to the case, given the proximity to the presidential election.
Both President Joe Biden and Donald Trump are the presumptive nominees for their respective parties in the upcoming presidential election. With Georgia being a pivotal battleground state, the outcomes of these legal battles could have a significant electoral impact.
The Supreme Court's ruling has introduced a new dynamic to the evolving legal landscape surrounding Trump's numerous cases.
It remains to be seen how lower courts will interpret and implement the decision and whether this will lead to delays that could extend well beyond the upcoming election.
Given the ruling, Trump’s lawyers may further leverage the legal gray areas to continue their strategy of pushing back trial dates.
This tactic gains an advantage from the immunity decision, which may shield Trump from much of the organized crime indictment's immediate repercussions.
While past cases involving the executive branch, like the Watergate tapes case, saw the Supreme Court move with notable swiftness, this term the court has acted rapidly yet taken a nuanced approach in its unanimous ruling that states cannot use the post-Civil War insurrection clause to disqualify Trump from the ballot.
The Supreme Court's ruling granting absolute immunity for former presidents’ official acts could significantly delay Donald Trump's various legal proceedings, including a major organized crime indictment in Georgia.
Lower courts will now interpret how to apply this decision, potentially postponing trials until after the 2024 presidential election, a move that stands to influence the election outcomes in crucial battleground states like Georgia.
The case’s complex legal framework and its high stakes underscore the importance of these procedural developments as the nation heads into a contentious election year.
