Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been ordered to pay over $54,000 in attorney’s fees after a Georgia judge determined that her office violated the state’s Open Records Act during the prosecution of former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants in the 2020 election interference case.Lawyer Monthly+12FOX 5 Atlanta+12WABE+12
On March 17, 2025, Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause ruled that Willis’ office intentionally withheld public records requested by attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents Trump co-defendant Michael Roman. The judge found that the DA’s office was “openly hostile” to Merchant’s requests and handled them differently from others, indicating a “lack of good faith.” As a result, Willis must pay $54,264 to cover Merchant’s legal fees and provide all requested documents within 30 days. USA Journal+6FOX 5 Atlanta+6WABE+6USA Journal+6talemagazine.com+6Fact Check Press+6
The records in question pertain to the employment of Nathan Wade, a former special prosecutor appointed by Willis. Wade resigned in October 2024 after it was revealed that he and Willis had a romantic relationship, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and misuse of taxpayer funds. WSJ+12Fox News+12Newsweek+12New York Post+2Lawyer Monthly+2Business Insider+2
This development follows a series of setbacks for Willis. In December 2024, the Georgia Court of Appeals disqualified her and her office from prosecuting the Trump case due to the “appearance of impropriety” stemming from her relationship with Wade. Willis has appealed this decision to the Georgia Supreme Court. talemagazine.comWikipedia+12Newsweek+12Fact Check Press+12The Guardian+2AP News+2WSJ+2
Additionally, in January 2025, another judge ordered Willis’ office to pay over $20,000 to Judicial Watch for falsely claiming they did not possess documents showing communication with the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. Wikipedia+1Law & Crime+1
The case against Trump and his co-defendants remains in limbo, with the Georgia Supreme Court yet to rule on Willis’ appeal. Meanwhile, the Georgia Senate passed a bill in March 2025 that could allow Trump and his co-defendants to seek reimbursement for their legal expenses if a district attorney is disqualified due to misconduct and the case is dismissed.
