Much has changed in the four criminal indictments against former President Donald Trump since he was first charged, and this week all of those cases are set to take a turn.
In New York, where President Trump has already attended two civil trials this year, a criminal trial may begin next month.
Meanwhile, a federal judge may delay the May 20 trial in the case alleging the former president mishandled classified documents.
In Washington, President Trump’s attorneys are seeking to delay another case related to his actions on Jan. 6, which could pick up again any day if they lose a Supreme Court bid.
Then in Georgia, a judge will hold an evidentiary hearing Thursday, during which embattled Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis could face disqualification if allegations about her relationship with a prosecutor she hired are true.
Trial Next Month?
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had brought the first case against President Trump last year, alleging he falsified business documents to pay off an adult actress alleging an affair.
The investigation arose out of claims made by Michael Cohen, one-time personal attorney to President Trump. Mr. Cohen later turned sharply against his former boss, and made public allegations that also led to a civil fraud case against President Trump that a judge is set to rule on this week.
President Trump was charged with 34 counts last April, and the case was originally set to go to trial on March 25. However, President Trump would be indicted three more times that year, with a federal judge in Washington setting a March 4 trial date in a separate case.
The Manhattan case was expected to be delayed, according to the district attorney. For a time, experts had predicted this might be the last of the four cases to go to trial.
But the Washington case has since been removed from the judge’s calendar.
New York Judge Juan Merchan will hold a scheduling conference this week to clarify the timetable for the case, which could resume and go to trial in March.
That ruling is set to come Thursday.
By Catherine Yang
