Atlanta, Georgia – A Georgia appeals court has made a significant decision in the election subversion conspiracy case involving former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants. The court’s ruling halts the case, marking a major win for Trump as he aims to delay legal proceedings until 2025, potentially avoiding them altogether.
The latest order from the Georgia Court of Appeals indicates that a trial for the state-level election subversion case will not take place before the 2024 presidential election. The court has postponed the proceedings until a panel of judges decides whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified from the case.
The appeals court is expected to rule on the disqualification issue by March 2025, although the timeline remains uncertain, according to sources familiar with the case. Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee initially allowed proceedings to continue in his courtroom while the appeals court considered an appeal regarding Willis’s involvement in the case.
Willis’ office has refrained from commenting on the appeals court’s order at this time. The district attorney has the option to request an expedited decision from the appeals court if desired.
The court’s decision highlights Trump’s success in challenging prosecutors and putting them on the defensive. The former president and his co-defendants have sought to disqualify Willis from the case due to her past romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor hired to handle the case.
After a mini-trial in March where evidence was presented, McAfee concluded that there was insufficient proof to demonstrate that Willis had financially benefited from her relationship with Wade. Ultimately, Willis was allowed to continue leading the case after Wade stepped down from his role.
In a statement, Steve Sadow, Trump’s lead defense counsel in Georgia, expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling. Meanwhile, in a separate case in Florida involving classified documents, a federal judge has shown willingness to entertain Trump’s requests to question investigators and challenge the prosecutors’ authority.
Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida has indicated her readiness to hold a hearing where Trump can potentially put federal investigators under oath for questioning. The legal proceedings in both the Georgia and Florida cases do not have set trial dates, leaving the timelines uncertain for further developments.