Court Of Appeals Ends Trump’s Legal Battle Over Classified Documents In Florida

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals accepted Special Counsel Jack Smith’s request Tuesday to terminate the legal proceedings against President-elect Donald Trump in the Florida documents retention case.

The ruling dismisses charges related to Trump’s possession of classified documents after his presidency, The Hill reported. Smith advocated for ending the appeal specifically concerning Trump, while legal actions will persist against his two associates, his valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos de Oliveira.

The case originated from a decision by Judge Aileen Cannon in July 2024, who ruled in favor of Trump and dismissed the indictment in his classified documents case by accepting his claim that Smith’s appointment breached the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Tensions in the election interference case involving Trump and Smith intensified in October after Judge Tanya Chutkan released a redacted 165-page brief from Smith that outlines the evidence.

Trump’s lawyers submitted a motion to dismiss Smith’s election interference case. Trump’s attorneys contend that the case is unfounded and breaches the U.S. Constitution’s Appointments and Appropriations Clauses because Smith was not legally appointed. Trump’s legal team opposed the disclosure of Smith’s briefing on presidential immunity. Chutkan, however, rejected their argument and unveiled the remaining evidence.

This development follows Smith’s earlier decision to dismiss, without prejudice, another case against Trump involving allegations of election interference. Both dismissals align with Department of Justice guidelines that prevent the prosecution of sitting presidents.

Smith charged Trump in Aug. 2023 with attempting to overturn the 2020 election results and sought to expedite the legal proceedings, even petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to prioritize Trump’s appeal regarding presidential immunity. However, the case experienced delays. In July the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have immunity for actions performed in office, leading Smith to issue a new indictment asserting that Trump’s actions were beyond his official capacities.