Supreme Court Decision Looms Over Trump's Eligibility for 2024 Presidency

On Monday, the Supreme Court is expected to make a decision in the case regarding former President Donald Trump's eligibility to run for office. The decision follows a ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court, which declared Trump disqualified from the presidency and ineligible for the state's primary election happening on Tuesday.

Timeline and Impact

The resolution of this case is critical, especially with Super Tuesday contests in 16 states taking place the day after. The decision will remove uncertainty surrounding the validity of votes for Trump, who is the leading Republican candidate for president. Both sides had urged the Supreme Court to expedite the process, and the court heard arguments less than a month ago, on February 8.

Legal Precedent

The Colorado court's ruling invoked a post-Civil War constitutional provision, specifically Section 3 of the 14th amendment, aimed at preventing individuals who "engaged in insurrection" from holding office. This marks the first instance of a court applying this provision, and its potential impact extends beyond Colorado, as Trump has also been barred from primary ballots in Illinois and Maine pending the outcome of the Supreme Court case.

Supreme Court Proceedings

While the Supreme Court traditionally refrains from preemptively disclosing the cases it will rule on, indications point to the likelihood of the Trump ballot case being among those decided. Interestingly, the court has departed from its usual practice in several aspects, heightening expectations surrounding this particular decision. Despite the next scheduled court day not being until March 15, opinions in the cases will be posted on the court's website just after 10 a.m. EST on Monday.

Separately, the justices have also agreed to hear arguments in late April relating to potential criminal prosecution of Trump on election interference charges, including his alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. This move raises questions about whether Trump will face trial before the November election, as he currently faces 91 criminal charges across four prosecutions.