A federal judge has approved a request from Sean “Diddy” Combs to expedite his appeal of his recent conviction, potentially allowing oral arguments to be heard as early as April 2026.

Combs, who was sentenced earlier this month to more than four years in prison after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, began serving his sentence last week at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix in New Jersey.

His legal team argued that the standard appellate process would take too long, noting that Combs has about two and a half years left to serve after accounting for the 13 months he spent in jail before and during trial. His lawyers also said he may be eligible for additional sentence reductions through participation in a prison drug treatment program.

In granting the motion, the appeals court judge set an accelerated briefing schedule: Combs’ legal briefs are due by the end of next month, and the government’s response is due in February.

If the timeline holds, the case could reach the courtroom for oral arguments by spring, significantly shortening what is often a years-long appeals process.

Combs, who has maintained his innocence, is appealing both his conviction and sentence, calling the case “deeply flawed” through his attorneys.