Lawyers in Ghislaine Maxwell case argue over jury instructions

In this courtroom sketch, Ghislaine Maxwell, left, sits at the defence table (Elizabeth Williams/AP)

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell appeared in court on Saturday for a rare weekend hearing where lawyers made arguments about how the judge should instruct a jury on the law in Maxwell’s sex abuse trial.

US District Judge Alison Nathan scheduled the hearing, held in an otherwise closed courthouse and with jurors absent, in an effort to keep Maxwell’s trial on a fast track that will have her case reach a jury early next week.