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Jon's avatar

Steve you are invaluable. A key question, does Judge Chutkan have any leeway in her prior position that Trump’s legal team gets back the “lost time” from the delay to prep? Can she shorten that time period now due to all this extra delay? So if it was doing to be 80 days of additional time can it be 30? Or is this totally off the table and she has to follow it? And if she does, do you recall how many extra days it’s delayed by this? Thanks.

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Steve Vladeck's avatar

She definitely has *some* wiggle room. So I could imagine a world in which she tightens the pre-trial clock a bit. That said, it probably will still require at least 6-8 weeks (roughly) once she gets the case back, and that's if there are no other curveballs.

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Jon's avatar

I can live with 6-8 weeks. 2 months from a mid May decision (god help me I’m being generous to scotus) is a July trial. Is that plausible? Or sensical?

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Jonathan Crane's avatar

I wouldn’t count on a mid-May decision. Robert’s seems to be splitting the difference on timing. If so, early June would be a god bet. The decision would then be sent down in late June.

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Jonathan Crane's avatar

One possibility is that Jack Smith pares down the indictment to two charges (or even one if necessary). That could save a substantial amount of time on both pre-trial and the trial itself.

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ASBermant's avatar

If we keep paring the indictment, Smith will eventually be forced to file a “nolle prosequi,” or statement of decision not to prosecute. Trump, like Jefferson Davis will claim exoneration. Politics always seems to get in the way of doing justice.

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