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March 1, 2024, 10:23 a.m.

Supreme Court will decide if Trump can claim presidential immunity

SUMMARY

The Supreme Court says it will hear arguments over whether Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The justices set oral arguments for the week of April 22. Trump’s pending trial in a federal court in Washington will remain on hold until then.

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Key terms

bipartisan — involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other's policies

WARM UP QUESTIONS

  1. When has the Supreme Court set oral arguments for the case involving former President Donald Trump's immunity claim related to the 2020 election?
  2. Who is Jack Smith?
  3. What are Trump's attorneys arguing in terms of immunity claims?
  4. How does the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol tie into this story?
  5. How does the Supreme Court's decision to hear the immunity case relate to the 2024 presidential election?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What is the key legal issue the Supreme Court will address regarding former President Donald Trump? What are your thoughts on the issue?

Media literacy: How can news outlets report on political subjects without being biased? What additional questions do you have about how the Supreme Court chooses to hear cases after watching this story?

Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?

FOR MORE

What students can do:

Watch the Student Reporting Labs video and answer the following question: What are some of the important things Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg accomplished?


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