In an intriguing turn within the Mar-a-Lago documents case, special counsel Jack Smith has withdrawn from the proceedings, transferring the entire case involving President-elect Donald Trump's co-defendants to federal prosecutors of the Southern District of Florida.

Now that Smith is out of the picture, a different group of federal prosecutors are now in charge of the serious charges faced by Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, both associates of President-elect Trump, as The Hill reports.

Smith's formal withdrawal from the Mar-a-Lago documents case created ripples.

The prosecution of the co-defendants of Trump has been assigned to Florida's Southern District federal prosecutors. In an unexpected action in November, Smith dismissed all charges against Trump.

The dismissal of Trump's charges, carried out without prejudice, respected a Justice Department policy that disfavors the prosecution of a sitting president.

In quick succession, the election interference case against Trump was brought to its conclusion as well.

The Mar-a-Lago documents case, however, lingers for Trump's co-defendants, Nauta, who served as Trump’s valet, and de Oliveira, Mar-a-Lago's property manager. They have been accused of a broader conspiracy to conceal boxes of files from Trump’s tenure.

Documents Concealed Reveals In-Depth Conspiracies

At the crux of the charges against Nauta and de Oliveira is the alleged cover-up of boxes full of records from Trump's presidency. These records were purportedly hidden not just from federal investigators but also from Trump's then-attorney.

Consequently, the duo is accused of obstruction of justice and of supplying incorrect statements to investigators.

Of the documents discovered among thousands of pages from Trump's presidential records, around 300 contained classified markings.

The boxes with these sensitive documents were reportedly shuffled within rooms at Mar-a-Lago, even stored once on a ballroom stage and in a bathroom, causing their contents to be strewn around the property in some instances.

This handling of the documents allegedly contravenes the standards of the National Archives for document management.

Those contentions deepened the probe into the cases against Nauta and de Oliveira.

Legal Disputes and Precedent Controversies

Now, the case is in the hands of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Smith challenged Judge Aileen Cannon's prior decision to dismiss the matter, claiming his initial appointment to his role as unlawful, which led to friction in the courtroom.

The Justice Department holds that Cannon's dismissal contradicts the long-standing precedents regarding the appointment of special counsels.

With the Department insisting on its standpoint, the defense is awaiting its chance to argue during the appeal.

The relay of the case to the federal attorney’s office marks a transitional phase in this high-profile case.

Following Smith's exit and the upcoming court trials, the nation is bound to observe the pronouncements keenly in anticipation of further developments.