Judge Allows Trump, Co-Defendants To Pursue Millions In Fani Willis Legal Fees
In August 2023, Trump and 18 others were indicted in Fulton County for allegedly conspiring to overturn then-President Joe Biden’s narrow election victory in Georgia. However, the case was dismissed in November, prompting Trump and several co-defendants to seek reimbursement for the legal expenses incurred during the prosecution.
He noted that the state was represented by a temporary District Attorney appointed after Willis’ removal, indicating that the office’s interests were already adequately represented in the proceedings. Advertisement Nonetheless, McAfee did grant Fulton County itself permission to intervene in the case, as the county funds most of the District Attorney’s office and could ultimately be responsible for any reimbursement ordered by the court. Advertisement The dispute revolves around a 2025 Georgia law that allows defendants to recover attorney fees if a prosecutor is disqualified and the case is later dismissed. The decision to allow the reimbursement claims to move forward could have significant financial implications, potentially exposing taxpayers to substantial costs if these requests are approved.
Fani Spanked Again: Judge Allows Trump And Co-Defendants To Pursue $17 Million In Legal Fees https://t.co/9ZiPf7AL0T
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) March 10, 2026
Trump himself is seeking more than $6.2 million in attorney fees from the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office under this statute.
Willis’ office attempted to intervene in the fee litigation to block these claims. However, Judge McAfee ruled that the District Attorney’s office had no legal standing to participate, as Willis had already been disqualified from the case
However, Judge Scott McAfee declined to pause the reimbursement process at this stage.
Willis was removed from the case in December 2024 after attorneys for Donald Trump and several co-defendants argued that her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade created a conflict of interest. They also cited public statements Willis had made about the prosecution.
In September 2025, the Supreme Court of Georgia declined to review Willis’s removal from the case. Following that decision, the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia was tasked with identifying a replacement prosecutor. The case was later dismissed.
Willis argued that the state law allowing reimbursement of legal fees was unconstitutional and maintained that her disqualification was not the reason the case was ultimately dismissed
Trump also criticized Willis after the Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear her appeal regarding her removal from the case.
“What Fani Willis did to innocent people, patriots that love our country, what she did to them by indicting them and destroying them, she should be put in jail,” he said.
A judge will review the fee claims, including Trump’s request for over $6.2 million. That evaluation process may take several weeks or even months and could potentially result in appeals.
Trump attorney Steve Sadow praised McAfee’s decision in a statement posted on X, saying the judge had “properly denied DA Willis’ motion to intervene” in Trump’s effort to obtain reimbursement of attorney fees
In 2023, Willis indicted Trump under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, alleging that he engaged in illegal activity in his efforts to contest the results of the 2020 presidential election.
The case was eventually dismissed, and in December 2024, the Georgia Court of Appeals stated that a lower court had erred in allowing Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who was also her romantic partner, to choose to step away from the case.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
