US court shuts down special master review of Trump's Mar-a-Lago documents

Justice Department gets win in government review of documents found at Mar-a-Lago

A redacted FBI photograph of classified documents recovered from a container in former president Donald Trump's estate at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Reuters

The FBI searched Mr Trump's home over what it said were 'likely' efforts to conceal classified files. AFP

The Mar-a-Lago property was raided by agents on August 8. Reuters

Pages from a Department of Justice court filing in response to a request from Mr Trump's legal team for a 'special master' to review the documents seized. AP

Journalists read a heavily redacted court document relating to the FBI search. AP

The former president condemned the raid as 'the weaponisation of the justice system'. AP

Pages from a Department of Justice court filing, in response to a request from Mr Trump's legal team. AP

Mr Trump had faced accusations of deleting private communications during investigations into his alleged role in the storming of the Capitol building on January 6 by his supporters. Reuters

Mr Trump departs Trump Tower for a deposition two days after the FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago home. Reuters

Pages of entirely redacted information in the released version of an affidavit from the US Justice Department that was submitted to a judge to support the execution of the FBI search warrant. Reuters

Mr Trump was also accused of taking a trove of classified documents from the White House, leading to speculation that those missing documents could have been the focus of the raid. Reuters

Mr Trump set up his Save America political action committee days after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden. EPA

A Trump supporter outside the Paul S Rogers Federal Building and US Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida. AP

Mr Trump reportedly had more than 300 classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. AP

US Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks about the FBI's search warrant. Reuters

A US federal appeals court has halted an independent party's review of thousands of documents obtained during an August FBI search at former president Donald Trump's home.

“The law is clear. We cannot write a rule that allows any subject of a search warrant to block government investigations after the execution of the warrant,” the ruling read. “Nor can we write a rule that allows only former presidents to do so.”

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the Justice Department should have access to “lawfully seized records”, ending a months-long saga over the merits of assigning a third party to the case and agreeing on the overall extent of the special master's work.

The US Justice Department will now have access to all documents found in the August 8 search.

The agency filed an October appeal against the assignment of a special master to review the thousands of documents the FBI obtained during a court-approved search of Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort and home in Florida.

The appeals court's ruling states that Trump-appointed District Judge Aileen Cannon erred in her decision to approve Mr Trump's request for a special master and to restrict the federal agency's use of the documents in September.

She assigned a Trump choice that the Department of Justice also agreed with — District Judge Raymond Dearie — who has operated under a mid-December deadline to look at the 11,000 documents seized from Mar-a-Lago.

“We agree with the government that the district court improperly exercised equitable jurisdiction, and that dismissal of the entire proceeding is required,” the court stated.

In his time serving as an independent third party on the case, Mr Dearie was vocal about clarifying his work as special master and challenging dubious claims made by Mr Trump and his lawyers.

The US Department of Justice is investigating Mr Trump and his team for espionage and obstruction of justice for the possession of classified material after his presidency ended in 2021.

The efforts of the former president's lawyers in getting a special master involved in the US government's probe is viewed by some as a way for Mr Trump to heavily litigate and delay its work.

“It is indeed extraordinary for a warrant to be executed at the home of a former president — but not in a way that affects our legal analysis or otherwise gives the judiciary license to interfere in an ongoing investigation,” the court wrote.

It is not yet clear if Mr Trump will appeal this decision before the US Supreme Court.

He announced his third White House bid for the 2024 presidential campaign in November.

As a result, the Justice Department assigned a special master to oversee this and other federal investigations involving Mr Trump, including a probe into the January 6 insurrection and efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss.