The historic indictment of former President Donald Trump has thrust the legal system into murky waters, raising the prospect of a leading presidential candidate campaigning around the country while also facing trial for criminal charges. But legal experts caution that it could take years for Trump’s criminal case to work its way through the court system, and the potential for a litany of hard-hitting motions and delay tactics may well push the trial until after the 2024 presidential election. “I cannot imagine that Trump would be convicted, and sent to jail, before the 2024 election season is over,” says Richard Hasen, an election law professor at UCLA. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The unprecedented nature of a former President facing criminal charges carries a wide net of unknowns, but if one thing is clear from Trump’s extensive court record, it’s that he will likely seek to delay and prolong the proceedings as long as possible.