Trump’s classified documents case set for first pretrial conference hearing before Judge Cannon

Judge Cannon, who faced criticism for a controversial ruling favoring Donald Trump in the past, is scheduled to oversee the first pretrial conference in a significant criminal case involving the mishandling of classified documents. The conference, taking place on Tuesday, will bring together prosecutors and defense attorneys before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to discuss the procedures and regulations governing the use of classified evidence in the case. While this is a standard aspect of any prosecution involving classified information, it holds significance as it marks Cannon’s initial involvement in the case since the former president’s indictment last month.

One of the central topics to be addressed during the arguments is the Classified Information Procedures Act, a law from 1980 that governs the handling of classified information by all parties involved in a criminal prosecution. Its purpose is to strike a balance between a defendant’s right to access evidence and the government’s interest in protecting sensitive and confidential information.

In preparation for the pretrial conference, special counsel Jack Smith’s team requested a protective order from Judge Cannon on Monday. The order would impose certain restrictions on defense lawyers, limiting their ability to share classified information from the case with Trump and his co-defendant and aide, Walt Nauta. Prosecutors explained that defense lawyers had expressed their intention to object to specific provisions of the proposed protective order but did not provide any details.

Both Trump and Nauta have entered pleas of not guilty to the 38-count indictment, which accuses them of conspiring to conceal classified documents taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago in January 2021, during the final days of Trump’s presidency. It is not expected that either Trump or Nauta will be present at Tuesday’s hearing.

Another matter that may arise during the conference is the trial date. Prosecutors have suggested that the trial commence on December 11, while Trump’s lawyers, as he pursues the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, have proposed postponing it until after the election.

It is worth noting that Judge Cannon also presided over a lawsuit filed by the Trump team last year, challenging the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. Her decision to appoint a special master for an independent review of the classified documents seized by the FBI drew criticism and scrutiny from legal experts. However, a federal appeals court later overturned her order, stating that she lacked the authority to make such a ruling.

Reporting from Washington by Tucker.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about classified documents case

More about classified documents case

• Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA)
• [Indictment of Donald Trump and Walt Nauta](insert link here)
• [Mar-a-Lago FBI search lawsuit](insert link here)
• [Pretrial conferences in criminal cases](insert link here)