Supreme Court Raises Bar for Obstruction Charges in Jan. 6 Riot Cases

The Supreme Court has made it more challenging to charge Capitol riot defendants, including former President Donald Trump, with obstruction. In a 6-3 ruling, the justices held that the charge of obstructing an official proceeding must include proof that defendants attempted to tamper with or destroy documents. This decision limits the federal obstruction law used to charge hundreds of Capitol riot defendants and potentially affects the case against Trump. The court's ruling means that only some of those who violently attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021, may fall into this category, as not all rioters attempted to tamper with documents. The decision could lead to the reconsideration and possibly dropping of hundreds of indictments and convictions related to the riot.