The Supreme Court of the United States has declined to issue an expedited ruling on the case of whether President Donald Trump has immunity from prosecution while he is in office.
The Supreme Court declined to take up President Trump’s argument that he is entitled to immunity from criminal prosecution during his tenure. The court’s short order did not shed light on any division among the justices.
The decision mean that the case will progress through the lower courts before it could potentially return to the Supreme Court.
The case has been a perennial source of controversy since it was first filed by the Manhattan District Attorney in August 2019, when he sought to obtain Trump’s tax returns as part of a criminal investigation. Trump’s lawyers have argued that as president, he should be immune from prosecution while in office.
The Supreme Court’s decision does not necessarily indicate how the justices may ultimately rule on the case, but it does postpone the potential resolution of the case until after the November presidential election.
