A Georgia appeals court on Wednesday halted the election subversion conspiracy case against Donald Trump and several co-defendants in a significant victory for the former president.
The case is on hold until a panel of judges rules on whether Fulton County District Attorney (DA) Fani Willis should be disqualified from the proceedings over her romance with a top prosecutor.
The court is expected to issue its ruling only by March 2025, unless the DA chooses to ask the appeals court to fast track the decision. The timeline remains uncertain, according to CNN.
Oral arguments are tentatively scheduled for October, which means the trial will not occur before the 2024 presidential election in which Trump is standing against President Joe Biden.
Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee had allowed proceedings to continue initially as the appeals court considered a petition challenging his decision to keep Willis on the case.
Trump’s legal team argued for Willis’ disqualification because of her romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she hired.
They claimed Willis financially benefited from the relationship, as Wade allegedly covered several vacations for the couple.
However, after a mini-trial in March, Judge McAfee found insufficient evidence to prove Willis financially benefited and ruled she could continue if Wade stepped down, which he subsequently did.
Following the order, Trump’s lead Georgia defense attorney Steve Sadow said: “The Georgia Court of Appeals has properly stayed all proceedings against President Trump in the trial court pending its decision on our interlocutory appeal which argues the case should be dismissed and Fulton County DA Willis should be disqualified for her misconduct.”
Trump was asked on Wednesday if he had lost confidence in his legal team after the guilty verdict in his hush money trial in New York.
In reply, he said: “No, it’s a rigged system and it’s a terrible system actually.
“I think we’re doing very well. We had a big thing happen in Georgia today.”
Trump and other defendants are accused of trying to subvert the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
Meanwhile, Trump’s classified documents case in Florida is also experiencing significant legal maneuvering.
Federal Judge Aileen Cannon who oversees the case has allowed Trump’s requests to question investigators and challenge the authority of his prosecutors.
On Wednesday, Judge Cannon indicated she would hold a hearing for a day and a half this month to allow Trump’s attorneys to question federal investigators under oath about the legality of prosecution of the former president.
The Florida documents case also has no set trial date.
