Top Trump attorney recuses himself from Mar-a-Lago documents case: report

Evan Corcoran, a top attorney for former President Donald Trump, reportedly recused himself from working on the case regarding documents marked as classified that were found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago, Florida, home.

Corcoran stopped working on the case after appearing before a federal grand jury last month, The Washington Post reported Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Trump is still being represented by Corcoran in other cases, including special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, the sources said on the condition of anonymity. 

Judges ruled that Corcoran could not use his attorney-client privilege to avoid disclosing information about his discussions with Trump, allowing prosecutors probing Trump's classified documents case to question Corcoran. 

Smith's grand jury proceedings are secret, so it is unclear how helpful Corcoran's testimony may be. Legal ethics rules, however, generally prohibit lawyers from being trial advocates when they are likely to play the role of an essential witness.

Corcoran's recusal could be temporary, as the witness advocate requirement is not mandatory until a case goes on trial, a person familiar with the matter also said.