Overview
- Facing a court deadline that risked dismissal, Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council director Peter J. Skandalakis took the case after multiple prosecutors declined the appointment.
- Fulton County DA Fani Willis was previously disqualified for an appearance of impropriety tied to her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, and the state Supreme Court declined to reinstate her.
- The August 2023 RICO indictment originally charged Trump and 18 others; four have pleaded guilty, while remaining defendants such as Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows continue to fight the charges.
- Judge Scott McAfee set a Dec. 1 status conference where the state must indicate if it will pursue a superseding indictment, as Skandalakis weighs whether to proceed, narrow the case, refile, or dismiss.
- Recent presidential pardons for several figures affect only federal exposure and do not bar prosecution under Georgia state law, and any trial of Trump is widely expected to be on hold while he is president.