Tiny Red HandsBack

No absolute presidential shield from a state grand jury

Date
2020-07-09
Entry type
court-ruling
Current status
Final Supreme Court judgment and binding subpoena precedent.
Last reviewed
2026-09-03

The Supreme Court rejected Trump's categorical immunity claim against a state criminal subpoena for private records while preserving ordinary subpoena defenses.

Entities and roles

Claims and evidence

  1. factdocumented

    The Supreme Court held that Article II and the Supremacy Clause neither categorically precluded a state criminal subpoena to a sitting president nor required a heightened need standard, while leaving the president ordinary constitutional and grand-jury defenses.