NEWARK — The judge presiding over the trial of two former aides to Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case abruptly sent the jury home and adjourned court on Thursday morning just as lawyers were about to begin their closing arguments.

The sudden adjournment raised the possibility of a major hiccup at the end of a six-week trial.

The judge, Susan D. Wigenton, gave little reason for ending court for the day shortly after 10 a.m., telling the jury that because she had spent so long — about 45 minutes — in a conference discussing a “legal issue’’ with the lawyers, it would be better to start closing arguments Friday morning.

But it seemed an unusual explanation, given that Wigenton has moved the trial at a rapid pace. Lawyers on both sides left the courthouse saying they could not comment. Lawyers representing the two defendants, Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni, looked happier than they have in days.

On Thursday, defense lawyers had objected to the instruction the judge gave the jury, saying it was fundamentally changing the nature of the charges in the case.

The original indictment charged Kelly and Baroni with misusing the resources of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to punish the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, N.J., for not endorsing the reelection of Christie.

The instructions to the jury, however, did not include the part about punishment.

New York Times