Supreme Court hears historic Trump 14th Amendment case: Key moments

The outcome could have major ramifications for the 2024 election.

ByAlexandra Hutzler and Quinn Owen
Last Updated: February 8, 2024, 1:59 PM EST

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday heard a historic case challenging Donald Trump's ability to hold office again over his role in the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump asked the justices to overturn an unprecedented Colorado Supreme Court decision deeming him ineligible to appear on the state's GOP primary ballot because, it said, he "engaged in insurrection." Trump has long denied any wrongdoing.

The legal battle centers on a previously obscure provision of the Constitution's 14th Amendment -- Section 3 -- ratified shortly after the Civil War.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news developed. All times Eastern.
Feb 08, 2024, 9:52 AM EST

What Americans think SCOTUS should do with Trump ballot challenges

An ABC News/Ipsos poll found a majority of Americans (56%) were willing to see Trump disqualified in all or some states: 30% said the U.S. Supreme Court should bar him completely and 26% said it should let each state decide.

Thirty-nine percent said the U.S. Supreme Court should keep Trump on the ballot in all states.

Americans were split on the decisions out of Maine and Colorado to bar Trump from the ballot: 49% supported them while 46% were opposed.

PHOTO:
ABC News/Ipsos

Feb 08, 2024, 9:38 AM EST

What to know about the arguments

There are 80 minutes total allotted for arguments but the court is expected to go over that timeframe.

A number of questions are likely to be debated: Is Trump an “officer” of the United States to whom Section 3 applies; who can enforce Section 3; and did Trump engage in an insurrection?

Trump is being represented by Jonathan Mitchell, a former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia. The Colorado voters are being represented by Jason Murray, a former clerk to Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Jason Murray, the lead attorney for the Colorado voters in the lawsuit, walks past anti-Trump demonstrators outside the U.S. Supreme Court, Feb. 8, 2024, in Washington.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

Read more about what to expect here.