Trump's 'special master' review of seized Mar-a-Lago documents is officially dead


The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday formally terminated the outside review of government documents seized from former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in an August FBI raid. The appellate court had rejected the review by a "special master" a week earlier, but stayed its decision in case Trump appealed to the Supreme Court. He did not. So the Justice Department now has unfettered access to the nearly 3,000 records taken from Mar-a-Lago under a court-approved warrant.
Convincing a Trump-appointed lower-court judge to approve a special master to oversee the documents was an unexpected win for Trump and his legal team. And the gambit did delay the Justice Department's investigation of Trump's handling of sensitive government documents for several weeks.
But it also "repeatedly backfired" on Trump, The New York Times reports. The 11th Circuit panel pulled the plug before the special master, Judge Raymond Dearie, made any final recommendations, but "Trump still has to pay for nearly three months of work," including "hiring a vendor to scan about 13,000 documents and photographs, and paying for an assistant who billed $550 an hour." At the same time, because Dearie didn't rule on Trump's various claims of privilege, his lawyers can raise them again in court if the Justice Department files charges against Trump.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
What's the best time of year to buy a house?
The Explainer There are pros and cons to each season
-
Africa's largest dam is making diplomatic waves
Under the Radar Ethiopians view using the Nile as a 'sovereign right' but the vast hydroelectric project has 'fuelled nationalist fervour' in Egypt and Sudan
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is more
Feature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
Trump threatens critics with federal charges
Feature Days after FBI agents raided John Bolton's home, Trump threatened legal action against Chris Christie
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
Why are Trump's health rumors about more than just presidential fitness?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Extended absences and unexplained bruises have raised concerns about both his well-being and his administration's transparency
-
'The McDonald's menu board is one fascinating thing'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines