Democrats went into 2024 without a real backup plan for Biden because they expected the courts to take Trump out of the race — a bet that failed badly for them.

• The party never pushed hard for a serious primary or a Biden successor.
• The assumption was that criminal cases would keep Trump off the ballot or in prison.
• When the legal route collapsed, Democrats were left with a weak, late-forming ticket.
• Using the courts as a campaign strategy backfired and cost them time they could not get back.

Outlook: The same lesson looms over the next cycle — a party that leans on lawsuits instead of building candidates risks getting caught flat-footed again.