Judge Grants Trump’s Request for More Time on Pre-Trial Filings in DC Case

Donald Trump's legal team can have extra time to file a flurry of court filings supporting his efforts to challenge charges against him in the Washington, D.C. election-subversion case, a federal judge ruled Monday.

The one-page order from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan comes after attorneys for the former president and federal prosecutors exchanged arguments Sunday and Monday over upcoming filing deadlines.

In a court filing Sunday, Trump's legal team asked for a one-week extension to file replies in support of three of their motions seeking to dismiss the charges, as well as a two-day extension for two additional filings due Monday.

Trump's attorneys had faced a Monday deadline to make court filings supporting two motions: one requesting a pause in the proceedings while the court considers their motion to dismiss on immunity grounds, and another asking for language referring to the events of Jan. 6, 2021 to be removed from the indictment. Trump's attorneys asked for a two-day extension of that deadline.

The former president's legal team also faced a deadline of Thursday to file replies in support of their motions to dismiss the charges on constitutional, statuary and constitutional grounds. Their motion asked for an extension until Nov. 23.

"The requested extensions will allow President Trump to focus on and complete each filing at a reasonable cadence, rather than all at once," Trump's attorneys wrote. "The requested extensions will not cause any prejudice, as all filings will still be completed within 11 days or fewer and will not affect any other deadline."

In a two-page response on Monday, Special Counsel Jack Smith's office called the extension request "the defendant's latest attempt at delay" and urged Chutkan to deny it.

Chutkan's order on Monday granted a two-day extension on the two court filings due Monday, and granted a six-day extension until Nov. 22 for the other filings.

Trump is charged with four federal felonies in the case alleging he obstructed the 2020 presidential election and has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His trial is scheduled to begin on March 4.