Appeals court agrees to speed up Justice Department's appeal of order appointing outside arbiter in Trump documents dispute

Washington — A federal appeals court in Atlanta agreed to speed up consideration of the Justice Department's appeal of a lower court order appointing an outside legal expert to review the documents seized by the FBI at former President Donald Trump's Florida residence.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit granted the request from federal prosecutors to shorten the timeline for the Justice Department and Trump's lawyers to file briefs in the dispute. The former president opposed the request, arguing in a filing to the 11th Circuit on Monday that he would be prejudiced if the appeal were expedited.

Under the schedule set by the court, federal prosecutors must file their initial brief by Oct. 14, and Trump's team has until Nov. 10 to submit its response. If the Justice Department wishes to reply, it has until Nov. 17 to do so. No extensions will be allowed, the court said. Previously, the court's schedule provided that federal prosecutors were to file their initial brief by Oct. 19, with Trump's lawyers to respond by Nov. 18, and the government to file its reply by Dec. 9.

Federal prosecutors had suggested a slightly shorter timeline than what the court set. Under their proposed schedule, Trump's team would have had until Nov. 4 to respond to the Justice Department's opening brief, and prosecutors would have had until Nov. 11 to reply. Justice Department lawyers asked the court to schedule oral arguments "at its earliest convenience."