Hurricane Milton's devastating impact on Florida has created an unexpected twist in former President Donald Trump's legal proceedings as his defense team grapples with storm-related disruptions.
According to the Washington Examiner, attorneys Todd Blanche and John Lauro submitted a request to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan for deadline extensions in the January 6 criminal case.
The motion, filed just one week before Election Day, cited significant disruptions to legal operations caused by Hurricane Milton's landfall earlier this month. The storm's impact has severely hampered the defense team's ability to respond to Special Counsel Jack Smith's previous filings.
The defense team's request focused on three crucial deadlines in the four-count felony case. Their filing emphasized how the hurricane had displaced Florida-based defense counsel from both firms representing Trump.
The case represents one of two Department of Justice prosecutions initiated after Trump's November 2022 presidential campaign announcement. The charges allege that Trump knowingly attempted to overturn the 2020 election results and President Joe Biden's victory.
Judge Chutkan's swift approval of the extension request came through a paperless order on Monday. This decision marks a departure from her previous stance on deadline extensions in this high-profile case.
The revised schedule pushes several key deadlines further into the holiday season. The previous November 7 deadline for Trump's brief supporting case dismissal has been moved to November 21.
Judge Chutkan set December 5 as the new date for the government's combined reply filing. Additionally, she granted the defense team until December 19 to submit their final reply regarding the immunity dispute. The timing of these extensions is particularly noteworthy, as they come just eight days before the November 5 electoral showdown between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Judge Chutkan has remained firm on avoiding delays in this case, prioritizing the court’s timeline regardless of any upcoming elections. In a court session on September 5, she reinforced this view by clarifying that the court’s proceedings would proceed without regard to the electoral calendar.
Trump's legal team emphasized the hurricane's substantial impact on their ability to respond to Smith's September 26 filing. That document addressed the Supreme Court's July ruling concerning former presidents' immunity from criminal prosecution.
The defense motion detailed how Hurricane Milton created significant operational challenges for the legal team. They characterized the storm's effects as frustrating their ability to maintain normal legal operations and meet court-mandated deadlines.
The special counsel's office demonstrated flexibility by deferring to Judge Chutkan regarding the appropriate extension length, marking a collaborative approach to addressing the weather-related complications.
Former President Donald Trump's legal team requested a deadline extension in his January 6 case, citing disruptions caused by Hurricane Milton. The request, which was granted by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, involves pushing back three key filing deadlines amidst ongoing legal proceedings about Trump's 2020 election conduct. This judicial decision arrives just before the upcoming elections, where Trump is a presidential candidate, highlighting ongoing judicial actions despite the electoral timeline.
