Judge sets 14-day deadline for appointment of new prosecutor in Georgia election case against Trump

Judge in courtroom
Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee presides in court, March, 1, 2024, in Atlanta. A Georgia appeals court has agreed to review a lower court ruling allowing Fani Willis to continue to prosecute the election interference case she brought against Donald Trump.  (AP Photo/Alex Slitz, Pool)

The judge overseeing the Georgia election interference case against President Donald Trump and others says he will dismiss the case in 14 days if a new prosecutor hasn’t been appointed to take it over.

Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee set the deadline in a one-paragraph order Friday afternoon. It is up to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia to name a prosecutor for the case after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified from continuing the prosecution.

“Should an appointed prosecuting attorney or representative of PAC fail to file an entry of appearance or request a particularized extension within 14 days from the entry of this Notice, the Court will issue a dismissal without prejudice for want of prosecution,” the judge wrote.