What exactly did Judge McAfee decide on March 10?

Judge Scott McAfee barred the district attorney’s office led by Fani Willis from intervening in Donald Trump’s $16.8 million attorney-fees bid. He allowed Fulton County, not the DA, to participate and set case-by-case evidentiary hearings under the Georgia SB 244 law. The ruling keeps each defendant’s claims open to proof and reserves payment decisions for later orders following testimony and document review in court.

What is the Georgia SB 244 law and why does it matter here?

SB 244 allows defendants to seek reimbursement of reasonable attorney fees linked to prosecutorial disqualification. In this dispute, the court will test how broad or narrow that recovery can be. Judges will probe necessity, reasonableness, and causal ties between the disqualification and billed hours. The law’s interpretation here could guide future claims statewide and influence both defense strategies and county risk management.

Who would pay if fees are awarded, and how quickly could that happen?

Any award would be a Fulton County obligation, not a district attorney office expense, so Fulton County taxpayers ultimately fund the payout. Timing depends on evidentiary hearings, judicial findings, and any appeals. Courts may enter partial orders or delay payment during appellate review. Payment logistics, including budgeting and disclosure, would follow final judgments or settlements as directed by the trial court’s schedule and rulings.

Can Fani Willis still influence the outcome after being barred?

Not in the trial-court fee litigation for now. Judge McAfee excluded her office from intervening, shifting courtroom advocacy to Fulton County’s attorneys. Fani Willis has moved to appeal, which could alter roles later if an appellate court disagrees. Until then, her influence is indirect, through public statements or filings on appeal, while the county handles evidentiary challenges and arguments over reasonableness and causation.

Law and Government

March 10: Judge Bars Fani Willis From $16.8M Trump Legal Fee Fight

ByHuzaifa Zahoor March 11, 2026March 11, 2026

Fani Willis was barred on March 10 from intervening in Donald Trump’s $16.8 million attorney-fees bid, a ruling by Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee. The court allowed Fulton County to join and set case-by-case evidentiary hearings under the Georgia SB 244 law. Willis’s office has moved to appeal. Any payout would come from county funds, so Fulton County taxpayers face direct exposure. For investors and residents, the decision tests a new statute that could shape future cost-recovery claims after prosecutorial disqualifications in Georgia.