**Judge Pauses Criminal Election Interference Case Against Trump Amidst Electoral Victory**

A federal judge has temporarily halted proceedings in President-elect Donald Trump's criminal election interference case, following a request from special counsel Jack Smith. This development aligns with the anticipated conclusion of the prosecution due to Trump's recent electoral win over Vice President Kamala Harris.

Special counsel Jack Smith, leading the prosecution against Trump in federal court in Washington, D.C., advocated for vacating the remaining pretrial deadlines. In a statement to Judge Tanya Chutkan, Smith requested the pause to allow his team to "assess this unprecedented circumstance" of Trump's electoral victory and to decide on the appropriate steps in line with Department of Justice (DOJ) policy. "By December 2, 2024, the Government will file a status report or otherwise inform the Court of the result of its deliberations," Smith noted in a filing, a deadline that Judge Chutkan affirmed in her order.

The Republican president-elect is charged with crimes related to his efforts to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. However, his victory earlier this week is seen as significantly undermining Smith's prosecutions. The DOJ has been considering how to wind down both the election interference case and another criminal case against Trump before his inauguration. Trump has indicated his intention to dismiss Smith and is expected to pressure the DOJ to cease these prosecutions, consistent with the DOJ policy that prohibits prosecuting a sitting president due to the department being part of the executive branch.

In addition to the federal election interference case, Trump faces charges in Florida for retaining classified government documents after leaving office in early 2021 and for obstructing efforts to retrieve those records. This case was dismissed in July by Judge Aileen Cannon, who argued that Smith's appointment as special counsel violated the appointments clause of the U.S. Constitution. Smith has since appealed the dismissal to the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, but like the Washington case, it is considered likely to be terminated by Trump's election win.

Furthermore, Trump is charged with racketeering and other offenses in Georgia state court in Atlanta, related to his attempts to overturn Biden's 2020 election victory. Despite the DOJ's lack of jurisdiction over this case, it is expected that Trump will not face trial while serving as president.

Trump is also scheduled for sentencing on November 26 in New York state court in Manhattan for nearly three dozen counts of falsifying business records concerning a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels in 2016. While Trump could face a potential prison sentence, he is unlikely to serve it while holding presidential office.

This series of legal proceedings highlights the complex interplay between Trump's legal challenges and his recent electoral success, underscoring the significant legal and political implications of his presidency.