An appeals court in Georgia has put a pause on the election interference case involving former President Donald Trump and others. The decision comes as the court reviews a ruling by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, which allowed District Attorney Fani Willis to continue leading the case.
The Georgia Court of Appeals' order, issued on Wednesday, blocks Judge McAfee from proceeding with pretrial motions while the appeal is under review. This development further delays the possibility of the case going to trial before the upcoming November general election, where Trump is anticipated to be the Republican nominee for president.
The appeals court has docketed appeals filed by Trump and eight other defendants. If oral arguments are requested and granted, a tentative date of October 4 has been set. The court is expected to rule by mid-March, with the option for the losing side to appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court.
The case stems from a Fulton County grand jury indictment in August, which accused Trump and 18 others of involvement in an alleged scheme to unlawfully overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. While four defendants have pleaded guilty, Trump and the remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty. This is one of four criminal cases facing Trump.
Trump and his co-defendants had sought to have DA Willis and her office removed from the case, citing a conflict of interest due to her past relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Judge McAfee initially found no conflict of interest that warranted Willis' removal but allowed an appeal to the Court of Appeals.
McAfee expressed concerns over the relationship between Willis and Wade, stating that doubts remained about the truthfulness of their testimonies regarding the timing of their romance. He ruled that Willis could continue only if Wade resigned, which he did promptly after the decision.
Trump's lead attorney in Georgia, Steve Sadow, supported the Appeals Court's decision to halt proceedings pending the appeal. The appeal argues for the dismissal of the case and the disqualification of DA Willis due to alleged misconduct.
