Former President Donald Trump will appear before the federal courthouse in Miami on Tuesday to face charges in the classified documents case. This will be Trump's second courtroom appearance this year, the first in April in a New York courthouse on charges of falsifying business records.
Trump, who is the Presidential candidate for 2024, landed in Miami on Monday on his private plane from a resort at Bedminister in New Jersey, where he had been staying.
Though Trump has been charged with 37 counts of unauthorised retention of national security information, the court hearing will clarify the charges. Trump has already made it clear that he would plead not guilty to the charges. The GOP front-runner is also expected to address his followers after he flies back to Bedminster after the indictment.
The case pertains to Trump illegally storing dozens of highly-sensitive documents at his Florida resort, refusing to return them to the FBI and National Archives. His courtroom appearance is likely to witness protests by his supporters with many tagging the probe by "special counsel Jack Smith, as an act of war."
While the former president is expected to surrender to U.S. marshals at local time 3 pm, here is what to expect from his courtroom appearance.
Unlikely to be handcuffed
Though criminal defendants are often handcuffed and photographed for a mug shot, it is unlikely that Trump will be subjected to the same, since the main purpose of the same is identification. Trump, already the most popular face in the US, wouldn't require it. In April, during the first indictment at NewYork, Trump was fingerprinted but not handcuffed or photographed. In Miami too, he will likely be fingerprinted as it is standard practice for processing federal criminal defendants. However, there is still ambiguity on whether or not Trump's DNA profiling will be carried out.
Who will oversee the hearing
Though there is not yet clear who will oversee the hearing, Trump’s case has been assigned to Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Judge Cannon had earlier handled a lawsuit filed by Trump against challenging the FBI’s court-authorised search of his Florida estate.
Judge Cannon, appointed by Trump, had sprung a surprise when she granted Trump’s request for an independent special master to review the documents. The process had reportedly slowed down the probe and raised brows about the judge's impartiality. Her interventions even resulted in a conservative appeals court rebuking her.
Usually, such hearings are overseen by a magistrate judge and on Tuesday it could be Bruce Reinhard, the magistrate who signed the search warrant for Mar-a-Lago.
Can the public watch the indictment
The indictment will not be televised as cameras are prohibited in the building. Besides, Cecilia Altonaga, chief judge for the Southern District of Florida, has banned media from bringing phones and other electronic equipment into the courthouse.
The public too is unlikely to see Trump appearing before the court as the building is connected by underground tunnels, making it easier for Trump to evade the public.
Will Trump take a plea deal
Donald Trump has already told the media that he will not take a plea deal unless. Stating that he would not be convicted, Trump said he did not anticipate taking a plea deal, though he left open the possibility of doing so "where they pay me some damages."