Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been ordered to pay over $54,000 in legal fees for breaching Georgia’s Open Records Act, according to recent court filings.
The issue stemmed from Willis’ office failing to provide requested documents to Ashleigh Merchant, the defense attorney for Michael Roman. Roman, a former aide to President Donald Trump, was indicted alongside Trump in a case centered on alleged election interference in Georgia. The case, initiated by Willis in 2023, continues to unfold, with Roman and Trump accused of attempting to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
This ruling on Friday marks another setback for Willis in her prosecution of Trump and others, adding to challenges she has faced since launching the investigation. In December, Willis was temporarily removed from handling the case due to concerns about her connection with Nathan Wade, a former special prosecutor who had previously worked on the case and resigned in October. The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that Willis’ relationship with Wade created the appearance of impropriety, prompting her disqualification. However, Willis appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court in January, arguing the disqualification was unfounded since there was no solid evidence of misconduct or conflict of interest.
The court’s latest order highlights Willis’ office’s “openly hostile” response to Merchant’s public records requests. The judge noted that these requests were handled differently than others, suggesting a lack of good faith. As a result, Willis is now required to provide all requested documents to Merchant and pay $54,264 in legal fees within 30 days. This sum corresponds to nearly 80 hours of legal work on the case.
Merchant had previously accused Willis’ office of withholding critical records related to Nathan Wade’s employment and questioned how public funds were being spent. Meanwhile, in a separate legislative development, the Georgia Senate passed a bill in early March allowing Trump and other co-defendants to seek reimbursement for legal expenses if their cases are dismissed due to prosecutorial misconduct. The bill, which passed unanimously, enables counties to cover legal fees in such instances.
In a related legal matter, Judge Rachel Krause of Fulton County upheld a lawsuit concerning Willis’ handling of open records but ruled that Willis could continue serving as district attorney in her official capacity. This lawsuit is part of ongoing investigations into alleged election interference in Fulton County, with Merchant accusing Willis of concealing records linked to a media monitoring firm allegedly funded by taxpayers.
