The Supreme Court has denied special counsel Jack Smith’s request to go around the normal appeals court process and decide Donald Trump’s immunity case quickly. Now the case will go before the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, which is scheduled to hear oral arguments on January 9.

The former president, who faces a total of 91 charges across four indictments, filed a motion to have his indictment dismissed on the grounds of presidential immunity – a request US District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied on December 7. Mr. Smith then urged the Supreme Court to take up the appeal quickly, but Mr. Trump wanted the appeals court in DC to hear it first. The special counselor said that the Trump trial’s planned start date in March would be at risk of delay if the case had to go through the normal process.

If the former president wins on this immunity case, the charges against him alleging election interference would be dropped. If he loses, however, the trial will go on.