When could the Supreme Court make a decision about Trump’s immunity from prosecution?

Claims from Donald Trump that he cannot be tried on charges of attempting to overthrow the 2020 presidential election will be heard in the Supreme Court very soon. Special counsel Jack Smith asked the conservative-dominated court to undertake a fast-review the request.

Trump had appealed his 1 December bid to dismiss the case against him. The former president is involved with a number of criminal cases that could interfere with campaigning for elections in 2023.

“Mr. Trump will have to make the trial date work, regardless of his schedule,” said the judge denying his request. The federal case agaisnt him was set to begin on 4 March, the day before Super Tuesday. 15 states hold primaries to decide their Republican candidate for the November elections, clearly a crucial day.

The court can begin considering the case from 18 December, if the court grants the federal government’s petition. 14 days later opening briefs would be filed and the other responses would be another seven days. A result will not be known until the new year.

What have the two parties said about the case?

If Trump is reelected before the cases are heard he could pardon himself, hence the pace Special counsel Smith is undertaking the case.

“It is of imperative public importance that (Trump’s) claims of immunity be resolved by this court and that (Trump’s) trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected,” Smith said.

Expectedly, Trump’s team are completely against the investigation.

“As President Trump has said over and over again, this prosecution is completely politically motivated,” a Trump spokesperson said Monday. “There is absolutely no reason to rush this sham to trial except to injure President Trump and tens of millions of his supporters. President Trump will continue to fight for Justice and oppose these authoritarian tactics.”