The federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case has temporarily paused all procedural deadlines while appeals over a major issue play out – which could lead to his March 2024 trial date being pushed back.

The order from Judge Tanya Chutkan acknowledged that she no longer has jurisdiction over aspects of the criminal case while the DC Circuit Court of Appeals considers whether Trump is immune and can be tried. In a bid to speed that appeals process, special counsel Jack Smith has asked the Supreme Court to step in.

[This almost certainly will require a delay, even if the Supreme Court declines to rule on the question. It will take at least to the end of the year for that outcome,, which means that attorneys will need to recover some time to meet adjusted deadlines. And if SCOTUS *does* decide to take up the question of presidential immunity now, that could force a delay of several months before we’d know whether the trial can even take place at all. — Ed]