Earlier this week, the Supreme Court gave special counsel Jack Smith a week to respond to former President Donald Trump’s request to keep his federal criminal trial on election-subversion charges on hold. This comes after Trump's lawyers appealed a circuit court ruling that found he has no immunity for alleged crimes committed as president.
Chief Justice John Roberts gave Smith until 4 p.m. on Feb. 20 to file a response to the former president’s request. The court would typically ask for a more timely responses to an emergency applications on what critics call its "shadow docket." But as The New York Times reports, nothing prevents Smith from filing more rapidly.
