Judges on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday expressed deep skepticism of arguments by former President Trump’s lawyers that an independent arbitrator is necessary to vet the documents the FBI seized from Mr. Trump’s Florida residence.
Throughout the roughly 40-minute hearing, a three-judge panel, including two judges appointed by Mr. Trump, cast doubt on their claims that the unusual circumstances of the case required the independent arbitrator, known as a special master.
The showdown in the Atlanta federal courtroom was the first major action between Mr. Trump’s legal team and the Justice Department since Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed veteran prosecutor Jack Smith to serve as special counsel on its criminal investigations into Mr.