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Judge hears scheduling arguments in former President Donald Trump's classified documents case

Trump's attorneys ask federal judge to extend deadlines for discovery, revise Fort Pierce trial schedule
Posted at 10:23 AM, Nov 01, 2023
and last updated 2023-11-01 17:59:19-04

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Judge Aileen Cannon heard arguments from former President Donald Trump's attorneys in his classified documents case about why the trial schedule, including the trial date, should be pushed back.

In a hearing Wednesday at the federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, Trump's attorneys asked Cannon to extend deadlines for discovery and revise the trial schedule.

The trial is currently scheduled to begin on May 20.

Trump's attorneys claim prosecutors have failed to promptly provide records related to the case.

They also argued that it has been difficult to review security footage from Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach because there are nine months of footage to go through.

Pages from Department of Justice court filing about classified documents at Mar-a-Lago
Pages from a Department of Justice court filing on Aug. 30, 2022, in response to a request from the legal team of former President Donald Trump for a special master to review the documents seized during the Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago, are photographed early Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. Included in the filing was a FBI photo of documents that were seized during the search.

Trump's attorneys also told Cannon there will likely be scheduling issues because of Trump's other pending legal matters, one of which is set to go to trial in March. They claim that trial could last up to two-and-a-half months, making preparations for a May trial in Fort Pierce difficult.

Trump was indicted earlier this year in connection with the improper handling of classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago.

His two co-defendants, Walt Nauta, a personal valet to Trump, and Carlos De Oliveira, a Mar-a-Lago maintenance worker, have pleaded not guilty.

Cannon didn't rule from the bench, saying she would issue a written order as soon as possible.