Federal judge sets hearing date in Trump election case after months of delay

After countless fits and starts and a monumental decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, the judge in charge of former President Trump's federal election interference case has taken the reins once more.

U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, after numerous upsets to her desired trial schedule, has just set a hearing date in the Trump case, the first time in seven months that the parties will convene in her courtroom, as ABC News reports.

Chutkan retakes control

In bringing the matter back under her jurisdiction after its movement through higher courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, Chutkan set a hearing for Aug. 16 at 10:00 a.m.

As she reclaimed control of the case, Chutkan also denied a motion from the former president's legal team to dismiss the case on grounds of statutory interpretation.

However, she did note that Trump's team would have the ability to refile that motion after the process of examining the case in light of the Supreme Court's recent immunity ruling has been completed.

SCOTUS decision refocuses Jan. 6 case

It was last month that the high court ruled in a 6-3 decision that presidents have absolute immunity for conduct falling within their core constitutional powers.

The court found that presidents also enjoy a rebuttable presumption of immunity when it comes to “acts within the outer perimeter” of official responsibilities.

As such, Chutkan will now have the weighty responsibility of applying the SCOTUS ruling to the claims made by special counsel Jack Smith against Trump in the Jan. 6 criminal case.

She will be tasked with assessing whether the actions at issue were “official” in nature, or more within the realm of private conduct for which prosecution is possible.

Taking over from appeals court

As CBS News noted, Chutkan's resumption of duty in the case comes after the matter was sent back to her by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Court in the wake of the SCOTUS immunity ruling was issued.

The panel put forward an unsigned order remanding the matter to Chutkan, stating that “In light of the Supreme Court's judgment filed August 2, 2024, vacating this court's February 6, 2024 judgment,” it was necessary the the case head to the lower court “for further proceedings consistent with the Supreme Court's opinion.”

Though trial in this case was originally set for March 4 of this year, it is now clear that it will not be concluded ahead of the presidential election, an scenario for which Trump and his team had long hoped.