Fani Willis Ordered to Pay Over $54,000 for Open Records Violation in Georgia Case

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been ordered by a judge to pay over $54,000 in attorney’s fees after failing to comply with Georgia’s Open Records Act, according to court documents.

The ruling stems from a request made by defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents Michael Roman, a former Trump aide indicted in the Georgia election case led by Willis. Merchant accused the DA’s office of withholding public records, particularly those concerning the hiring of Nathan Wade, a former special prosecutor on the case.

The court found that Willis’ office had responded to Merchant’s requests with “open hostility” and handled them “differently than other requests,” indicating what the judge described as a “lack of good faith.” The ruling not only orders the district attorney’s office to release the requested documents within 30 days but also requires payment of $54,264 in legal fees, reflecting approximately 80 hours of Merchant’s work.

This legal setback adds to a growing list of challenges for Willis. In December, she was disqualified from prosecuting the high-profile election interference case against Donald Trump and several co-defendants due to concerns over a past relationship with Nathan Wade. Wade, who had served as a special prosecutor, stepped down in October following increased scrutiny.

Willis appealed that disqualification to the Georgia Supreme Court, arguing that her removal was based solely on the “appearance of impropriety” rather than proven misconduct or conflict of interest. In her filing, Willis stated that no Georgia court had ever removed a district attorney under such circumstances.

Merchant’s original document requests focused on public fund usage and contracts related to Wade’s role in the investigation. According to the court order, the district attorney’s office failed to provide transparent answers or timely access to those materials.

In a separate development, the Georgia Senate passed legislation in March that may allow defendants, including Trump and others involved in the same case, to request reimbursement for legal costs if the case is dismissed due to prosecutorial misconduct. The bill passed unanimously and is intended to offer recourse when a district attorney is disqualified and the case is dropped.

The court’s ruling does not affect the charges against Trump or his co-defendants but does limit Willis and her office from taking further action in the case. While the indictment remains active, the matter will need to be handled by a different prosecution team.

This is not the first time Willis has faced legal hurdles. Last year, she was also involved in another open records lawsuit where a judge declined to dismiss the case entirely but did exempt her from being personally named. That case, too, was initiated by Merchant and centered on the alleged concealment of records related to the use of a media firm funded with public money.

Responding to the court’s decision on Friday, attorney Ashleigh Merchant posted on social media: “Proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!”

With the DA’s office now under heightened scrutiny, the case continues to draw public attention, not only for its legal implications but also for questions around transparency, accountability, and the handling of sensitive political investigations.