What happens to Donald Trump’s legal cases now that he will be President?

Trump volition instrumentality to the Oval Office arsenic the 47th President connected January 20. What volition hap to the cases against him?

Federal & authorities cases

Trump faces 2 national indictments — the January 6 case, relating to the onslaught connected the US Capitol by his supporters arsenic helium fought to enactment successful powerfulness aft the 2020 election; and the classified documents case, relating to his handling of authorities documents helium took from the White House to his backstage property successful Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

Trump besides faces 2 cases successful authorities courts — the hush wealth lawsuit successful Manhattan; and the predetermination lawsuit successful Georgia, successful which helium has been indicted for attempting to reverse his decision successful the authorities successful the 2020 election.

Different rules use to the national and authorities cases. As President, Trump volition person greater power implicit the proceedings successful the national cases, which astir analysts judge could present simply end. The cases successful the states could resistance connected for longer, but proceedings are expected to beryllium paused oregon considerably delayed.

Pardon, oregon driblet cases

Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the US Constitution says the President “shall person Power to assistance Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, but successful Cases of Impeachment”.

In theory, Trump could pardon himself — a measurement that helium has been reported to person considered during his archetypal term. However, nary President has done that before, and a ineligible situation could follow.

The request for pardon could beryllium eliminated if the Department of Justice decides to disregard the cases. Before the election, Trump had said helium would occurrence Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is prosecuting the national cases, “within 2 seconds” if helium won.

The lawsuit successful Florida was dismissed by a national justice this July connected the crushed that the assignment of the Special Counsel was violative of the constitution, and is present successful appeal. And The New York Times has reported that Smith has begun looking astatine avenues to extremity some cases successful enactment with a DoJ argumentation from 2000 that says “the indictment oregon transgression prosecution of a sitting President would unconstitutionally undermine the capableness of the enforcement subdivision to execute its constitutionally assigned functions”.

Manhattan sentencing

In May, a assemblage successful Manhattan convicted Trump of falsifying records to screen up a enactment scandal. He is scheduled to beryllium sentenced connected November 26 — however, it is expected that his lawyers volition question a agelong postponement.

Trump is expected to reason that his sentencing would heavy distract from and disrupt the process of statesmanlike transition, and interaction his quality to take his furniture and instrumentality complaint of the bureau helium has been elected to.

The NYT said the judge, Justice Juan M Merchan, who has already granted Trump 2 delays, whitethorn hold to different postponement. If helium does not, Trump volition appeal, and the contented could yet spell to the Supreme Court.

The Financial Times said successful a study that ineligible scholars judge it would beryllium “constitutionally unviable” for a serving President to beryllium sent to jail, which would marque it “likely that sentencing volition beryllium postponed astatine slightest until aft the adjacent statesmanlike election”.

The study quoted Prof Paul Butler of Georgetown Law arsenic saying, “At this point, Trump has fundamentally won successful each 4 cases.”