Former President Trump faces four felony criminal trials and several civil trials in the coming months as he runs for re-election. Does he have trouble keeping up?
These are the key developments in the Trump trials in January.
Delays in DC election subversion case
Earlier this month, a three-judge panel in Washington held a hearing on Trump's decision. claims to be immune from prosecution accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Questions from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia panel indicated the judges were inclined to reject his argument, but what most observers assumed would be a quickly issued opinion has dragged on for weeks. (Trump could still ask the full court to rule and then go to the Supreme Court, causing even more delays.)
The case originally scheduled to begin March 4 has been on hold since December and there needs to be time for both sides to file pretrial motions, objections, jury votes, etc.
On Thursday, the court removed Trump's federal election interference trial from the March calendar. No new date has been included.
Millions awarded in E. Jean Carroll defamation case
In the middle of the month, a jury heard and decided a second defamation case brought by veteran columnist E. Jean Carroll, quickly awarding him $83.3 million. That amount is in addition to $5 million a jury awarded him in an initial defamation trial last year in which the jury also found that Trump sexually assaulted Carroll in a Manhattan department store in 1996.
Jurors were asked to decide whether Trump should pay Carroll for two statements he made as president after a magazine published excerpts from Carroll's memoirs. Jurors were not asked to reconsider whether the sexual assault had occurred.
Trump attended much of the trial, unlike the first, although he was not required to do so. Trump testified for just over three minutes after the judge limited what he could say and ruled that the former president had lost his chance to argue his innocence in the first trial.
Trump is appealing both awards.
Awaiting verdict in New York fraud case
Trump is awaiting a verdict from Judge Arthur Engoron in a New York civil fraud trial targeting his business, in which state lawyers are seeking $370 million after he was found responsible for routinely overstating his wealth in financial statements. which provided to banks, insurance companies and others in order to receive more beneficial loan conditions.
State attorneys are also seeking to bar Trump, his adult children and the Trump Organization from doing business in New York, where most of his real estate empire is located.
Engoron already found Trump liable for fraud in the bench trial, but the expected verdict is expected to detail whether the former president violated other laws and the amount of the penalty.
The trial has lasted several months and has included several high-tension moments, including two fines from the judge for making unfounded claims by Trump about Engoron's secretary and loud exclamations by Trump, including a long speech during closing arguments.
Questions arise about prosecutors in Georgia election subversion case
Trump faces similar charges over attempts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia. That case has not been scheduled, but was in the news in January due to allegations by one of Trump's co-defendants that Attorney Dist. Fani Willis had an inappropriate romantic relationship with a special prosecutor she hired for the case.
An attorney for Trump's co-defendant, Michael Roman, filed a motion to dismiss the indictment and remove Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade from the case. Trump joined the presentation and Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee set a hearing on the matter for February 15.
Neither Willis nor Wade have responded publicly to the allegations, but they are expected to respond in a court filing scheduled before the hearing.
