Florida judge rejects Trump’s request to delay pretrial deadlines in classified docs case

US District Judge Aileen Cannon opted to stick with the February 22 deadline, though she did note that matters filed past that date would be considered if proven to be necessary.

"The deadline to file pre-trial motions (as distinct from motions in limine seeking the exclusion of specific evidence/arguments from being presented during trial) remains February 22, 2024," the Trump-appointed judge wrote in her filing.

"However," she added, "to the extent the Court's resolution of the pending Motions to Compel Discovery 262 yields a specified need of any party to supplement previously filed pre-trial motions and/or to file evidentiary motions that could not reasonably have been filed by February 22, 2024, the Court will consider such arguments as appropriate, but only upon a particularized and timely showing that events post-dating February 22, 2024, clearly justify additional pre-trial briefing."

As Newsweek reports, the move comes amid discussions between Cannon, attorneys for the former president, and special counsel Jack Smith over how to discuss potentially classified materials in front of the jury. Trump and his co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, had been seeking more time to file their evidentiary motions.

Cannon recently ruled that unredacted documents showing the names of government witnesses will be made available to the public, arguing Smith failed to the case that the names should remain hidden.

She also denied Trump's request to postpone the trial itself, which is set to begin in May, but said the schedule could be looked at again in March.

The former president faces 40 felony charges in the case, including 32 counts of violating the Espionage Act, six counts of obstruction, and two counts of making false statements.