A federal appeals court rejected the claim of immunity brought by Donald Trump’s legal team to get the cases associated with the Capitol riots of January 6, 2021 dismissed. For now, the civil lawsuits against Trump can move forward as he needs to further argue his case and why his support for the rally on Jan. 6 should not be considered part of his official duties. The Supreme Court has upheld immunity for presidents when carrying out official duties, which is a central point in these cases. The appeals court is allowing civil cases against Trump to proceed in Federal District Court in Washington. This result adds to Trump’s other legal troubles. When presented with a motion to dismiss, judges analyze whether a lawsuit should proceed assuming everything stated by the plaintiffs is factual. Mr. Trump sought to dismiss the cases stating that all his acts were official presidential actions, and thus immune from prosecution. However, the plaintiffs argued that they were campaign events. Three judges of the appeals court reviewed the case. Additionally, two Capitol Police Officers, Joe Sellers, and Protect Democracy are helping to represent the plaintiffs. The decision was praised for being a step forward in holding the former president accountable. Steven Cheung called the decision “limited, narrow and procedural”. The panel’s decision includes two judges from the Democratic party and one appointed by Mr. Trump. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump’s challenge is expected to push the trial beyond the 2024 election if appeals become protracted.