his 2024 calendar will be full of# legal challenges and court appearances.

In four major criminal cases, the# former president faces 91 felony counts,## and two key civil cases could cost# him millions of dollars in damages.

To help bring us up to speed on where these# legal troubles stand and their potential## impact on his campaign, we're joined by# NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson.

Carrie, welcome back to the "NewsHour."

CARRIE JOHNSON, NP GEOFF BENNETT: So, before we talk about the# trials and I want to ask you about the Michigan Supreme# Court rejecting an effort to remove him that state's 2024 primary ballot under the# Constitution's so-called Insurrection Clause.

How did that court take into account# Donald Trump's actions on January 6?

And## how did the outcome differ from the Colorado case?

CARRIE JOHNSON: Yes, this was an important# decision from the Michigan Supreme Court,## but it was a procedural one.

The High Court in that state left# op could be disqualified from the general# election ballot, but allowed his name## to continue on the Republican Party ballot# for the primary.

And they decided that on## procedural grounds.

They did not get to the# substance of whether the former president## had engaged in an insurrection and should# be booted off the ballot for that reason.

And that's one key difference between what# the Michigan High Court did and what the## High Court did in Colorado.

In Colorado,# of course, we had a five-day civil trial,## where among other people who testified# was a U.S. Capitol Police officer who## talked about the violence he suffered# on January 6, 2021 at the Capitol.

And that court basically found that Trump# should be kicked off the ballot in the state## of Colorado.

The Republican Party in that# state has now pressed the Supreme Court,## the U.S. Supreme Court, to hear that case.

GEOFF BENNETT: All right.

with the special counsel Jack Smith's# election interference case.

Yesterday,## he filed a motion trying to block# Donald Trump from injecting politics## into the case.

Tell us more about that# and give us a status update on this case.

CARRIE JOHNSON: That case, of course, had been# set to go to trial in March 2024 in Wash D.C., just a few steps away from the U.S. Capitol.

But everything's on pause, Geoff, while the former# president appeals has lifetime immunity from federal prosecution for# acts he committed while he was in the White House.## And so we're waiting for the federal appeals court# in Washington to hear that case in early January.

And, eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court may# need to weigh in there as well.

But the special## prosecutor, Jack Smith, has asked the trial court# judge to consider blocking Trump from presenting## certain kinds of evidence in the case when it# finally does happen.

The special counsel seems## to be worried that Trump is going to make all# kinds of arguments about vindictive prosecution## and allege that current President Joe Biden has# directed the Justice Department to go after him.

And the special counsel says those arguments are# improper, they could inflame and prejudice the## jury, and Trump should not be allowed# to argue those things before a jury.

GEOFF BENNETT: And Donald Trump is also facing# a federal indictment for illegally ho on to and mishandling sensitive national# security documents at his Mar-a-Lago club.

Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump nominee, has# scheduled that trial to start on May 20.## But how likely is it that it starts next spring# or, for that matter, even before Election Day?

CARRIE JOHNSON: I think it's unlikely, Geoff.

As you mentioned, in that that both sides are going back and forth# on now with the judge.

The judge has kind## of tapped the brakes in terms of all of that# litigation over the highly clas We know, for instance, the former president# allegedly kept those papers in a ballroom,## in a bathroom at Mar-a-Lago.

The# question is how much of that stuff## the jury may actually get to be able to# see.

Judge Cannon has directed in that case to submit a possible jury# questionnaire by the end of February.

But a lot of people, including# parties involved in that case,## think it will be delayed past# May, maybe past the electi GEOFF BENNETT: And then shifting our focus to# Georgia, the Georgia election interference case,## as I understand it, there is no# start date for that trial just yet.

But Donald Trump's attorneys# are trying to get the case## tossed on First Amendment grounds?

Is that CARRIE JOHNSON: Yes.

violence at the Capitol and the aftermath should# be protected by the First Amendment.

Of course,## Geoff, other courts and other cities have# totally disregarded that argument by the## former president.

But his attorneys in Fulton# County say they're going to make it there.

The district attorney in Fulton County# wants Trump to go to trial in August of## next year.

That seems unlikely, given the# sprawling RICO nature of that case, though GEOFF BENNETT: And, Carrie,# Donald Trump is also facing## verdicts in two civil cases in New# Yo CARRIE JOHNSON: Sure.

the Trump Organization, which Donald Trump# calls the corporate death penalty hanging## over him there.

And then the writer E.# Jean Carroll has sued Trump once again## for defamation.

She's seeking millions# of dollars in money damages against him.

GEOFF BENNETT: NPR's Carrie Johnson.

Carrie, thanks so mu sense of the galaxy of legal CARRIE JOHNSON: It's a lot.