Mar-a-Lago “Global Issues” Briefs and Responses Posted

The Justice Department and counsel for former President Donald Trump filed their briefs on “global issues” that pervade contested Mar-a-Lago documents before Special Master Judge Raymond J. Dearie on Nov. 8 under seal. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon unsealed both parties’ briefs Monday morning, though portions remain redacted, and each party’s respective response briefs have also been filed with the court. The briefs and responses are meant to lessen the burden of document review on Dearie as he reviews over 200,000 pages of materials seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. 

The global issues addressed in the briefs are as follows: whether the records are personal records, whether the records are Presidential records, whether Trump may not claim personal records subject to a claim of executive privilege, whether Trump may withhold seized materials by asserting executive privilege, and whether Trump should have to file a declaration or affidavit regarding the Detailed Property Inventory. The parties mostly remained at odds on all five global issues. 

You can read the government’s principal brief, Trump’s principal brief, the government’s response to Trump’s brief, and Trump’s response to the government’s brief, below. 

Justice Department's principal brief

Trump's principal brief

Justice Department's response to Trump

Trump's response to Justice Department