What happens to Trump’s legal cases now?

Donald Trump has become the first US President in history to be elected as a convicted felon.
He’s currently awaiting sentencing on 34 criminal convictions over hush money payments.
There are also multiple, ongoing criminal, federal and civil court cases against him, where he’s accused of handling illegal documents, sexually abusing a columnist and election interference from the 2020 presidential race.
Trump has denied all charges.
He has used his court battles to portray himself as the victim of an overreaching government – which resonated with Republican supporters who are becoming increasingly sceptical, if not downright hostile, to institutions of power.
But as the most powerful man in the US, can he now pardon himself?
Here’s what could happen to his legal cases:
Criminal cases
In May, Trump was found guilty of 34 felony charges at a landmark trial in New York, which made him the first former US President to be criminally charged.
He was found guilty of a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor, Stormy Daniels, who claimed the two had sex.
The now president-elect had been due to face sentencing later this month, but his victory raises questions over whether he will ever face punishment.
Judge Juan Merchan has given himself a November 12 deadline to decide whether to wipe away the conviction, following a Supreme Court ruling to grant serving and former presidents broad immunity from prosecution.
If Merchan does dismiss the charges Trump would not be sentenced.
If the New York judge goes ahead with sentencing, Trump could be ordered to serve as much as four years in prison.
But Merchan could impose a lesser sentence, such as probation, house arrest, community service or a fine.
Since it is a state case, Trump does not have the power to pardon himself next year, after he is sworn into office.
Trump is subject to additional criminal charges in an election interference case in Georgia, for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
The case is on hold while the appeals court decides whether to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis, who brought the case against him, over a romantic relationship with a fellow prosecutor.
A decision is not expected until 2025.
Sources familiar with the case said it is unlikely that a state-level judge would allow proceedings to continue when Trump is president and, in that scenario, Trump’s attorneys would certainly move to have the case dismissed, CNN reports.
Federal charges
On the federal level, he’s been indicted for his role in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election and improperly handling classified material.
When he becomes president on January 20, Trump could appoint an attorney general who would erase the federal charges.
Trump was charged with illegally taking classified documents from the White House to his Mar A Lago estate in Florida and resisting the government’s attempts to retrieve them.
He was also charged with trying to overturn the US election results in 2020.
Trump previously suggested he would fire lawyer Jack Smith, who brought the cases against him, “within two seconds” if he was reelected.
In late October, the former president said he would take such a step without hesitation.
“Oh, it’s so easy. It’s so easy,” Trump said when asked by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt whether he would “pardon yourself” or “fire Jack Smith” if reelected.
“I would fire him within two seconds,” Trump said.
Civil cases
Trump has already been found liable in two New York civil cases: one for inflating his assets and another for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996.
Trump is also still facing civil lawsuits brought by Democratic lawmakers and others over his role in the January 6 Capitol attack.
It is possible that all these cases will continue to play out, even as Trump serves his second term in the White House.
In a 1997 Supreme Court ruling, stemming from a civil lawsuit then-President Bill Clinton was involved in, the justices unanimously decided that sitting presidents could not invoke presidential immunity to avoid civil litigation while in office.
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