Georgia Appeals Court Puts Temporary Stop to Trump’s 2020 Election Case in Fulton County

The Georgia Court of Appeals Halts Proceedings

The Georgia Court of Appeals has temporarily halted proceedings in the 2020 election case involving former President Donald Trump while reviewing a trial judge’s ruling that allowed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue prosecuting the case. The stay issued by the court applies only to Trump and the eight co-defendants who sought to have Willis and her office removed from the case because of a romantic relationship she had with Nathan Wade, who served as a special prosecutor.

Appeals Court to Hear Arguments

A panel of three judges on the appeals court is tentatively set to hear arguments on the disqualification bid on October 4. The case is being heard in its August term, and a decision must be rendered by March 14, 2025. The pause in proceedings makes it highly unlikely a trial will be held before the November election, when Trump will face off against President Biden for a second term in the White House. Willis’ office declined to comment.

Disqualification Effort Derails Proceedings

Trump and a group of his co-defendants appealed the decision from Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee that allowed Willis to remain on the case if Wade resigned, which he did. The disqualification effort has derailed proceedings in the Fulton County case for months while McAfee held evidentiary hearings to determine whether to grant the request by Trump and his allies to remove Willis and her office from the prosecution.

Charges and Allegations

Trump faces 10 charges in the sprawling racketeering case brought by Fulton County prosecutors and has pleaded not guilty. The indictment returned by a grand jury last August alleges Trump and 18 others mounted an unlawful scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia and keep Trump in power. Four of the former president’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty after reaching plea deals with prosecutors.

Federal Prosecutions and Delays

Federal prosecutions brought in Washington, D.C., and South Florida have been either halted or are proceeding slowly. Trump was charged with four counts related to an alleged scheme to subvert the transfer of presidential power after the 2020 election and 40 counts stemming from his handling of sensitive government records after leaving the White House and efforts to obstruct the investigation. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Proceedings in Washington have been paused while the Supreme Court considers whether Trump is immune from federal criminal charges for conduct involving allegedly official acts. A judge in South Florida separately delayed a trial there indefinitely because of pending pre-trial motions and other issues.

Jared Eggleston contributed to this report