entertainment
The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump's Jan. 6 case has given the two sides two weeks to propose a trial date.
In her first scheduling order filed in the case Friday morning, Judge Tanya Chutkan gave prosecutors until Thursday to propose a trial date and provide an estimate of how long they think it will take to make their case at trial.
MORE: Trump pleads not guilty on Jan. 6 charges, calls it 'sad day for America’
She also ordered Trump's team to respond to that filing by Thursday, Aug. 17, and propose their own trial date and estimate of how long it will take to put on their defense.
In addition, Chutkan said she will not require Trump himself to appear at the upcoming status conference that's scheduled to take place on Aug. 28.
Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of undertaking a "criminal scheme" to overturn the results of the 2020 election by enlisting a slate of so-called "fake electors" targeting several states, using the Justice Department to conduct "sham election crime investigations," trying to enlist the vice president to "alter the election results," and doubling down on false claims of a stolen election as the Jan. 6 riot raged -- all in an effort to subvert democracy and remain in power, according to prosecutors.
The former president has denounced the charges, calling them "a persecution of a political opponent."
