(Washington, D.C.) A federal judge overseeing special counsel Jack Smith’s case against former President Donald Trump has once again declined to dismiss the charges against him. In a ruling filed on Monday evening, Judge Aileen Cannon denied multiple claims by Trump’s legal team and co-defendants, challenging the technical flaws in the 2023 indictment. While she agreed to strike a single paragraph from the charging document, criticizing the inclusion of uncharged offense allegations, Cannon upheld most of the charges.

Smith has accused Trump of 40 counts, including the unlawful retention of national defense information, after investigators discovered hundreds of classified documents at his Florida estate from his time in the White House. Alongside Trump, his co-defendants – aide Walta Nauta and former Mar-a-Lago employee Carlos de Oliveira – are also implicated in an alleged scheme to obstruct the federal probe. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing.

Despite the defense’s arguments to dismiss the charges pre-trial, including the clustering of alleged crimes under a single charge and the lack of evidence showing Nauta and de Oliveira’s knowledge of classified documents, Cannon ruled in favor of the legally permissible language in the indictment. While the judge critiqued the special counsel’s indictment for containing nonessential narrative-like allegations, she maintained most of the indictment, except for the particular paragraph describing an incident where Trump allegedly showed a classified map to an unauthorized individual.

Cannon’s ruling aligns with her past criticisms of the special counsel’s approach and handling of the case. While supportive of Smith’s decision to redact potential witness names in court documents, she condemned the delay in presenting the argument. Additionally, she reprimanded Smith’s team for their lack of collaboration with the defense and their handling of limiting Trump’s speech regarding law enforcement.

As the case progresses, a trial date is yet to be determined, with Cannon currently addressing pretrial matters. In a separate legal battle in Washington, D.C., Trump faces four federal counts for his alleged efforts to undermine the 2020 election results. Presently, the case is pending as the Supreme Court deliberates on the issue of presidential immunity from prosecution.

In the coming months, Cannon is expected to preside over public hearings on various motions in the case, emphasizing the ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding Trump’s actions during and after his presidency.