Supreme Court Justices Seem Skeptical of Jan. 6 Obstruction Charge Used in Trump Case

Hundreds of defendants, including President Trump, hope the court’s eventual ruling in this former cop’s appeal will lead to their charges being dismissed.

Supporters of Jan. 6 defendants including Micki Witthoeft, the mother of Ashli Babbitt, stand outside of the Supreme Court in Washington on April 16, 2024. Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

Conservative Supreme Court justices seemed generally sympathetic on April 16 to a former police officer charged under an accounting reform law after he entered the U.S. Capitol for four minutes on Jan. 6, 2021.

The case is being closely watched because once the Supreme Court rules, its decision could affect hundreds of Jan. 6 prosecutions, including the Jan. 6-related case against former President Donald Trump.