US News

Federal judge delays prosecution of James Comey until early 2027

A judge postponed Comey's arraignment and delayed the seashells case until early 2027, NBC News reports.

Updated Sep 25, 2026 · 20:30 UTC1 reports

The short version

U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan delayed the federal prosecution of James Comey until early 2027 and declined to set a trial date.[NBC News]
Comey's arraignment in North Carolina was postponed from Wednesday to January while the court reviews pending defense motions.[NBC News]
Prosecutors allege Comey threatened the president via an Instagram photo showing seashells spelling out '8647'.[NBC News]
Comey has moved to dismiss the charges, arguing the case stems from presidential animus and witness bias.[NBC News]

Judge Louise Flanagan delayed the prosecution of James Comey until early 2027 and declined to set a trial date.[NBC News]
Comey's scheduled arraignment in New Bern, North Carolina, was moved from Wednesday to January.[NBC News]
The indictment alleges that Comey made a threat against the president by posting an Instagram photo of seashells arranged as '8647'.[NBC News]
Comey's defense attorneys filed motions seeking dismissal, citing presidential animus, protected speech, and key witness bias.[NBC News]
Lead federal prosecutor Matthew Petracca exited the prosecution in May.[NBC News]

Whether the court will grant Comey's dismissal motions or proceed to set a trial date remains unresolved.[NBC News]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.