Donald Trump’s calendar is jam-packed with court dates thanks to his plentiful criminal indictments and civil lawsuits.
The ex-president and his legal team are preparing for a busy year as they attempt to juggle his court dates – each one bringing a bevy of pretrial motions, responses and briefs deadlines – all while Mr Trump hits the road to continue his campaign for 2024 president.
So far, Mr Trump has been criminally indicted four times (two on the federal level and two on the state level) while also facing two additional civil lawsuits in New York City.
Though Mr Trump’s legal team has made a concerted effort to delay trial until after the 2024 election - or dismiss them outright. Nearly all of the dates for his criminal indictments have been set for this spring.
Already, the former president made several appearances in Manhattan court in October to face one of his New York civil trials. But he’ll be expected back shortly for his other civil trial against E Jean Carroll.
Here are all of the trial dates for Mr Trump thus far.
October 2, 2023 – Trump Organization civil suit trial began
In a civil lawsuit brought forth by New York Attorney General Letitia James, Mr Trump and his company, The Trump Organization, are accused of making false or misleading values of assets on financial statements.
The trial, overseen by State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, was to determine if Mr Trump would face penalties over his alleged fraudulent business activities.
Judge Engoron ruled in September 2023 that Mr Trump, his adult sons, Donald Jr and Eric, companies and executives overvalued the assets of the Trump Organization for years.
A decision by Judge Engoron is set to be determined by the end of January.
January 15, 2024 – E Jean Carroll’s civil lawsuit against Trump
The former president will go to trial, again, in New York City against E Jean Carroll, the magazine columnist who accused Mr Trump of sexual abuse and defamation.
A federal jury already awarded Ms Carroll $5 million last year, finding Mr Trump liable for sexual abuse. But this trial stems from a defamation in which Ms Carroll alleges Mr Trump defamed her in 2019 after she came forward with accusations of rape.
Judge Lewis Kaplan will be presiding over the case.
US magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll departs the Manhattan Federal Court in New York City— (AFP/Getty)
March 4, 2024 – Federal election interference trial begins
This trial pertains to the four federal criminal counts Mr Trump was charged with stemming from his alleged involvement in trying to overturn the 2020 election results and the subsequent January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Mr Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the US, obstruction and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. The ex-president had pled not guilty to the charges.
The case was brought forth by special counsel Jack Smith after a years-long investigation into the attack on the Capitol which was fuelled by the ex-president’s false claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Judge Tanya Chutkan is presiding over the case in Washington DC.
Donald Trump claimed he witnessed “filth” and “decay” in Washington DC after his arraignment on 3 August— (Getty Images)
March 25, 2024 – Hush money payment trial begins
In April 2023, Mr Trump became the first sitting or former president to be criminally indicted after being charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in Manhattan criminal court.
The charges stem from an investigation by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg that alleges Mr Trump tried to cover up hush money payments that he made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016 to silence her claims of an extramarital affair.
Mr Trump has pled not guilty to all 34 charges.
Judge Juan Merchan is presiding over this trial.
Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his legal team in a Manhattan court, April 4, 2023, in New York— (AP)
May 20, 2024 – Federal classified documents trial begins
The ex-president was criminally indicted at the federal level again in June, this time for his alleged mishandling of sensitive government documents that he took with him to his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida after leaving the White House in 2021.
Mr Trump was initially charged on 37 criminal counts including violating a section of the Espionage Act for allegedly unlawfully retaining top-secret documents that contained national security information. Three more charges were added to the initial counts in a superseding indictment.
Mr Trump pled not guilty to all 40 charges in total.
Judge Aileen Cannon is presiding over this case in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Former US president Donald Trump arrives to speak during a press conference following his court appearance over an alleged 'hush-money' payment, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 4, 2023— (AFP via Getty Images)
August 5, 2024 - Georgia election interference case
Mr Trump was indicted in Fulton County, Georgia by District Attorney Fani Willis for his alleged involvement in efforts to overturn 2020 election results in Georgia along with 18 co-defendants.
The ex-president was charged with violating the RICO Act among 12 other charges. Mr Trump and his co-defendants have pled not guilty to all the charges
So far, Ms Willis has proposed a trial start date of August 5 – though Mr Trump’s legal team has pushed to move this.
The trial is being overseen by Judge Scott McAfee.
So far two of Mr Trump’s co-defendants, Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, separated their trials from other defendants. Mr Chesebro and Ms Powell entered guilty pleas in October 2023.
