Judge blocks Habba from prosecuting two New Jersey defendants over appointment dispute
A U.S. judge in New Jersey on Thursday sided with two criminal defendants who asked to bar Alina Habba, a former personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, from prosecuting them. The defendants argued Habba was unlawfully appointed as the state’s top federal prosecutor, and the court granted their request to keep her from handling their case.
The ruling shifts the case away from Habba and toward a different prosecutor, at least temporarily, and could lead to a reassignment or delay as the matter is resolved. Habba is widely known as Trump’s former personal attorney, and the decision highlights ongoing questions about the legitimacy of certain high-level prosecutorial appointments and their impact on ongoing cases.
What this means: The defendants gain relief from Habba’s participation, and prosecutors may need to appoint another attorney to continue the prosecution, potentially affecting scheduling and strategy.
Summary: A federal judge granted the defendants’ bid to disqualify Habba from prosecuting them on the basis that her appointment as the state’s top federal prosecutor was unlawful, prompting a possible reallocation of the case to another prosecutor.
A hopeful note: The decision reinforces the principle that official authority to prosecute should be properly grounded, helping ensure the integrity of the legal process.