Former President Donald J. Trump’s criminal indictment on charges stemming from his handling of classified documents will be overseen — at least initially — by a federal judge who a higher court criticized for handing him a series of unusually favorable rulings during the early stages of the investigation, according to five people familiar with the matter.
My understanding is that for efficiency it’s typical for cases to continue to trial under the judge who presided over the preliminary hearings. That said, I expect the government will petition for her recusal or a change of judge based on how badly she got smacked down by the appeals court.
I believe she will hear it, that is, the initial appearance. The procedures, as I understand it, is that Trump will appear before a judge (his pal, Aileen Cannon) to formally hear the charges against him read for the first time. He is, not surprisingly, expected to plead not guilty. After arraignment, he would probably be released on his own recognizance pending his next court appearance, similar to the indictment in NY. The next step would then be moved to a different judge, either through her recusal, is she’s smart, or through a motion by the prosecution.