Jack Smith Asks Court To Pause Appeal Of Trump Classified Documents Case

by · Forbes

Topline

Special Counsel Jack Smith asked a federal court in Florida to pause prosecutors’ appeal of the dismissal of President-elect Donald Trump’s criminal case over his alleged withholding of White House documents and alleged obstruction of the government’s investigation into them until December—a request that was filed the same day reports circulated that Smith would be ending his cases against Trump and resigning.

Special Counsel Jack Smith delivers remarks on a recently unsealed indictment including four felony ... [+] counts against former U.S. President Donald Trump at the Justice Department on August 1, 2023 in Washington, DC.Getty Images

Key Facts

Smith asked the court to hold his appeal of the dismissal of the classified documents case until Dec. 2, when he said he would update the court on how prosecutors plan to proceed.

Smith said in the request the government needs time to “assess the unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy,” referring to the historic status of a president-elect as a criminal defendant.

The filing comes five days after Smith also made a pause request—which was almost immediately granted—in his case against Trump for alleged election interference in 2020.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

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