The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s New York criminal case has postponed a ruling on whether to dismiss the president-elect’s conviction until November 19.
The decision, which could potentially nullify Trump’s conviction, was confirmed by the court on Tuesday.
Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts in May after a jury found he had manipulated business records to conceal an alleged affair with a porn star prior to the 2016 election.
Trump is currently set for sentencing on November 26, though his legal team is pushing for the dismissal of the charges following a recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.
In that landmark ruling, the Supreme Court, with its 6-3 conservative majority, determined that presidents possess broad immunity from prosecution for certain official acts committed while in office.
Trump’s lawyers argue that this ruling should apply to his case, which they say is politically motivated and infringes on presidential powers.
“The joint application for a stay of the current deadlines… until November 19, is granted,” the court wrote in an email to involved parties, as seen by AFP.
If Judge Juan Merchan rules in Trump’s favour and dismisses the case, the former president will avoid sentencing entirely.
If Merchan does not dismiss the charges, Trump’s legal team is expected to file motions to delay or oppose sentencing, arguing it would disrupt Trump’s responsibilities as commander-in-chief once he assumes office on January 20.
Prosecutors have vehemently opposed Trump’s dismissal request, maintaining that the Supreme Court’s immunity decision does not apply to criminal charges related to personal matters.
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