Former President Donald Trump's legal team has objected to the Justice Department's request to expedite an appeal that would allow them to continue reviewing classified documents alongside an independent special master.
In a Monday filing, Trump's lawyers argued that expediting the Mar-a-Lago file review case could cause "prejudice" to the former president by granting less time to him than the government.
"Certainly, the Government is free to file its brief at its earliest convenience. However, no good cause has been shown as to why President Trump should have significantly less time than the Government and less time than that provided under the Rules to prepare and brief his arguments before this Court in this unprecedented case," his attorneys wrote.
"The Government, on the other hand, cannot possibly be prejudiced if this appeal is not expedited and President Trump is afforded the few extra days provided under the Rules to file his brief," they added.
The filing also claims that the public and political nature of the case should "countenance against any rush to judgment," adding that "the public interest is served best by [a] transparent and thorough consideration of all the issues."
"The Government has not and cannot possibly articulate any real risk of loss or harm resulting from a more deliberative process," it read.
According to The Hill, the Justice Department is seeking an expedited timeline starting with an opening brief by Oct. 14, a Trump response by Nov. 4, and a department rebuttal by Nov. 11.
On the other hand, Trump's team is pulling to make the final two dates Nov. 14 and Nov. 21, respectively.
The move comes after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily stayed a lower court ruling that blocked the Justice Department review in September, with a final decision in the high-profile legal battle still up in the air.
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