Former President Donald Trump will face a trial for mishandling classified documents in the spring of next year. Judge Aileen Cannon scheduled the trial for May 20, rejecting Trump's request to postpone it until after the November 2024 elections.

 

Trump, 77, is facing serious charges for unlawfully storing confidential files at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, after leaving office. He has maintained his innocence, viewing the case as an attempt to harm his election campaign.

 

The trial will be held in Fort Pierce, Florida, and to obtain a conviction, the jury's verdict must be unanimous. Jurors will be selected from the entire Fort Pierce division, which includes counties that Trump won in the 2020 elections.

 

The former President of the United States pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges in Miami. Prosecutors would prefer the trial to begin this year, while Trump's lawyers argued for the need for more time to prepare.

 

This Mar-a-Lago case is one of several legal challenges facing Trump, including accusations in New York and a federal investigation into the Capitol riots. There is also an investigation into whether he violated the law in Atlanta while attempting to overturn election results.

 

The trial will take place during the election campaign, where Trump is considered the leading candidate of the Republican Party to challenge President Joe Biden in the next year's presidential elections.

 

Key dates for Trump next year include the Republican Party primaries in January, Super Tuesday in March, and the Republican National Convention in July.

 

Special Prosecutor Jack Smith is leading investigations into the Capitol riot and the Mar-a-Lago documents. Prosecutors allege that Trump took classified documents to his home and accuse his personal assistant, Walt Nauta, of involvement in the case, who also pleaded not guilty.