[JURIST] The Texas Third Court of Appeals [official website] Thursday denied a request by US Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) [official website; JURIST news archive] to hasten his appeals process by reducing allowable filing periods from 20 to five days. Prosecutors are appealing the dismissal [JURIST report] of the conspiracy charge against DeLay, and Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle [official website] has requested that his trial for the two remaining money laundering charges be delayed [JURIST report; PDF indictment text] until the appeal process is completed. Last Saturday, the presiding judge announced that he was still considering another request made by DeLay to split the money laundering charges into two trials, which would also speed up the case. DeLay is trying to put case behind him quickly so that he can resume his position as US House Majority Leader before House Republicans are required to vote on a permanent replacement in the new year. AP has more.