Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis faces a court order to pay $54,000 due to her office’s non-compliance with Georgia’s Open Records Act. The directive stems from a failure to produce documents requested by Ashleigh Merchant, defense attorney for Michael Roman, a co-defendant with Donald Trump.
Court Orders Compensation for Open Records Violation
Fulton County’s Fani Willis has been ordered to cover over $54,000 in attorney fees after a court found her office violated the Open Records Act. The violation arose when defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant sought documents related to her client, Michael Roman. The court criticized Willis’ office for its “lack of good faith” in failing to provide these records, such actions underlining the judicial system’s emphasis on transparency and accountability.
@AshleighMerchan & John Merchant sued Fani Willis & the Fulton DA’s Office for Open Records violations. What’s something like that worth? Apparently $54,000! pic.twitter.com/2MDycD42EX
— Noah Pines (@noahpines) March 15, 2025
Indicted alongside Donald Trump in 2023, Michael Roman remains under judicial scrutiny. Willis was previously removed from prosecuting this case due to an “appearance of impropriety.” This decision was linked to past associations with a previous special prosecutor, Nathan Wade. Despite appealing her disqualification, Willis contends the judgment was based solely on superficial perceptions without real conflict or wrongdoing.
I am proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!!!
In a plot twist juicier than a Georgia peach, Fulton DA Fani Willis got slapped with a $54K bill for hiding records like a magician with a trapdoor. Looks like Trump’s winning streak just keeps on MAGA-nifying! pic.twitter.com/3QDEBmfMYx
— GABRIEL 🪽 (@TheGabriel72) March 16, 2025
Allegations and Court Findings
The court found that Willis’ office exhibited open hostility toward Merchant’s document requests, accusing the office of not acting in good faith. Merchant alleged the District Attorney’s office withheld crucial documents and misused public funds. Faced with these accusations, Willis’ office countered Merchant Law Firm’s attempts as seeking to “undermine” the ongoing prosecution. Given these circumstances, the judicial decision seeks to reinforce transparency.
No Georgia court has ever disqualified a district attorney for the mere appearance of impropriety without the existence of an actual conflict of interest.
Willis now has a 30-day window to fulfill the demand for the requested records and settle the attorney fees. This timeline reflects the court’s efforts to expedite transparency and compliance with the Open Records Act.
Legislative Developments and Future Implications
As the case develops, the Georgia Senate recently passed legislation allowing Trump and co-defendants to recover legal costs if disqualification of the district attorney results in case dismissal due to misconduct. This legislation highlights the potential financial and legal ramifications for district attorneys in such situations.
The future of the Trump case and Fani Willis’ appeal remain uncertain. This situation underscores the importance of maintaining transparency and accountability within the legal sphere, especially when high-profile cases involve significant public interest.
