A 2nd Circuit panel ordered the lower court to reassess transferring Trump’s hush-money case from state to federal court, directing a fuller evaluation of presidential immunity and the case’s potential federal footing.

Trump was previously convicted on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records in connection with payments to Stormy Daniels, allegedly coordinated through his former lawyer to influence the 2016 election.

The appellate panel criticized the district judge’s earlier stance that the conviction involved private acts rather than official acts, noting improper handling of whether trial evidence related to immunized acts.

Trump’s team framed the appeals ruling as a broader win in the fight against politically motivated prosecutions, tying it to immunity and constitutional principles.

A central element of Trump’s appeal strategy remains the claim that presidents have immunity from prosecution for official acts.

Judge Merchan originally presided over the state trial and sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge, leaving the conviction intact while avoiding additional punishment.

The state case’s unconditional discharge was described as the lightest possible punishment under New York law to avoid encroaching on presidential powers.

The ruling gives Trump a renewed avenue to challenge the basis of his New York hush-money conviction, though it does not overturn the conviction at this stage.

Supreme Court immunity decisions have limited evidence related to official acts, affecting whether testimony from aides could be used in the hush-money case.

The decision preserves the option to pursue a federal forum but does not grant immediate relief to bypass the district court or skip to appellate review.

The three-judge panel said it has no opinion on the case’s final outcome but urged a thorough reassessment of immunity-related issues and their relation to the trial record.

The ruling leaves unresolved questions about presidential immunity, jurisdiction, and the potential for federal review of a state-court conviction.