Fani Willis removed from Trump election case: Who is Fulton County's high-profile district attorney

The decision by the Georgia Court of Appeals follows allegations of a conflict of interest involving Willis's personal relationship with a prosecutor she hired for the case. In its decision, the court wrote: “After carefully considering the trial court's findings in its order, we conclude that it erred by failing to disqualify DA Willis and her office.”

This ruling overturns a previous decision by a Georgia court that allowed Willis to remain on the case. The court’s decision does not dismiss the indictment against Trump and his co-defendants but requires the appointment of a new prosecutor to oversee the case.

Trump, along with several co-defendants, has been charged in Georgia over an alleged scheme to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. While Trump himself is unlikely to face trial before his term in the White House ends, some of his co-defendants may be tried sooner. Several individuals, including Trump allies Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, have already pleaded guilty in connection with the case.

Who is Fani Willis?

Fani Taifa Willis, born on October 27, 1971, is an American attorney and the current district attorney for Fulton County, Georgia, which encompasses most of Atlanta. Serving since 2021, Willis is the first woman to hold this office. She has gained national prominence for her high-profile investigations and innovative use of Georgia's RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) statute in cases ranging from election interference to gang-related crimes.

Born in Inglewood, California, Willis was raised primarily in Washington, DC, by her father, John C. Floyd III, a criminal defence attorney and former Black Panther member. After her parents divorced, Willis stayed with her father, who influenced her interest in law. She graduated cum laude with a degree in political science from Howard University in 1993 and earned her Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta in 1996.

Willis began her career as a solicitor, prosecuting misdemeanours and city ordinance violations, before spending 16 years as a prosecutor in the Fulton County District Attorney's Office. Her most notable case during this time was the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal. As lead prosecutor, Willis used Georgia's RICO statute to secure racketeering convictions against 11 of 12 educators accused of altering standardised test answers.

In 2018, she entered private practice and ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Fulton County Superior Court. She later became Chief Municipal Judge for South Fulton, Georgia. Elected in 2020 after defeating six-term incumbent Paul Howard Jr., Willis has become known for her aggressive and effective use of Georgia’s RICO statute in non-traditional cases.

• Election Interference Investigation: Willis led the investigation into efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results, which resulted in indictments against former President Donald Trump and 18 alleged co-conspirators.
• YSL Gang Prosecution: She also spearheaded the high-profile case against rapper Young Thug and members of his YSL record label, accusing them of gang-related crimes under the RICO statute.

In 2022, a former employee accused her of wrongful termination and alleged misuse of federal grant funds. Willis has denied the claims, asserting the funds were used appropriately and that the employee was terminated for cause.

In November 2024, Willis secured reelection as Fulton County District Attorney after raising over $2 million in campaign funds. Earlier in the year, she won the Democratic primary against Christian Wise Smith and is set to face Republican Courtney Kramer in the general election.