President-elect Trump is making a final stand in his criminal cases as his White House return approaches, hoping to diminish what is left of his prosecutions before they are shelved.

With less than two weeks until his inauguration, Trump has looked to block his New York sentencing on 34 felonies and the public release of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report.

Trump’s efforts spurred fights in six different courts this week, effectively marking the endgame of the courtroom campaign that didn’t deter catapulting him back to the nation’s highest office but still stands to damage his legacy.

“Until January 20, I expect every other day, until then, there'll be some new news that will happen in Trump legal world,” said Catherine Christian, a former prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

Trump is not expected to face any punishment after once staring down 91 criminal charges across four prosecutions as he asked voters to give him a second term.

His election victory resulted in his two federal cases being dismissed, his Georgia case is in limbo after the top prosecutor was removed and the judge in his New York case signaled he won’t hand down any prison time.

But the cases could pack a final punch.

In New York, Trump successfully pushed his sentencing past the election, delaying the proceeding three times. This week, he has hoped for a fourth.

Judge Juan Merchan’s decision to move ahead with Trump’s sentencing Friday set up a last-minute appellate battle as the president-elect........

© The Hill