Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been ordered to pay over $54,000 in legal fees after a judge ruled her office violated Georgia’s Open Records Act.
The dispute stems from a request made by defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents Michael Roman — a former Trump campaign official and one of several defendants in the 2023 Georgia election interference case. Roman and former President Donald Trump were both indicted in connection with efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. That case, filed by Willis, is still moving through the courts.
According to Newsweek, the court’s ruling last Friday marks another setback for Willis as her high-profile prosecution continues to face mounting legal scrutiny.
The judge found that Merchant’s records requests were treated differently than others and described the district attorney’s office as “openly hostile.” The court said this indicated a “lack of good faith” and ordered Willis to provide the requested documents within 30 days and pay $54,264 — reflecting around 80 hours of legal work.
The controversy deepened when it emerged that Willis had a prior relationship with Nathan Wade, the former special prosecutor on the Trump case. Citing the “appearance of impropriety,” the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that Willis should be disqualified, even though there was no formal finding of misconduct or direct conflict of interest. Wade stepped down from the case last October.
Willis appealed that decision in January, stating that “no Georgia court has ever disqualified a district attorney for the mere appearance of impropriety without an actual conflict.”
In December, the court officially removed her from prosecuting Trump’s case, though it did not dismiss the indictment itself. Fox News reported that the ruling left Willis and her assistant DAs without the authority to continue leading the prosecution.
Merchant, who brought the records complaint, previously alleged that Willis’ office had withheld key documents, including materials related to Wade’s work and how public funds were being used. She also sought transparency on contracts involving a media monitoring company.
Commenting on the court’s decision, Merchant wrote on X: “I’m proud that judges are willing to hold those in authority accountable when they disregard the law!!!”
Earlier this year, Georgia lawmakers passed legislation allowing defendants like Trump to seek reimbursement of legal fees if a district attorney is removed due to misconduct and the case is dropped.
Meanwhile, a separate ruling last September also went against Willis. Although Judge Rachel Krause declined to personally name her in a lawsuit over open records, the judge allowed the case to proceed — yet another legal hurdle for the embattled DA.
The ongoing legal challenges stem from Willis’s investigation into alleged election interference in Fulton County, with critics continuing to raise questions about her conduct and use of public resources.
