The Georgia election case against Trump will continue moving forward after Georgia’s top prosecutorial oversight body appointed a new lead. This development follows the disqualification of District Attorney Fani Willis in the sprawling case that accuses former President Donald Trump and others of election interference.
Fani Willis initially filed the racketeering indictment in August 2023 against Trump and 18 others, alleging a vast conspiracy to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. However, legal complications soon emerged. In late 2024 the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that Willis must be disqualified because her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade created an appearance of impropriety. The Georgia Supreme Court declined to review the decision, finalizing Willis’s removal.
With the case’s future hanging by a thread, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee set a deadline for the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia to appoint a new prosecutor or face dismissal of the case for lack of prosecution.
On November 14, 2025, the Council’s executive director, Peter J. Skandalakis, announced he would personally assume responsibility for the case. He said several other prosecutors who were approached declined the assignment. Skandalakis noted he had already received more than 100 banker boxes of documents and an eight-terabyte hard drive of electronic files and needed time to review the evidence before proceeding.
For the moment, the case survives. The decision to keep it alive has significant implications for how Georgia’s most politically charged criminal case will proceed.
Under Georgia law, a sitting president may not be prosecuted while in office, so charges against Trump himself may remain on hold during his current term. Nevertheless, the case continues to loom over 14 other defendants—including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani—who are not protected by presidential immunity and could still face trial.
Skandalakis now has broad authority: he may pursue the existing case, narrow it, or decline to proceed. Defense attorneys for Trump have publicly expressed optimism, with lead lawyer Steve Sadow saying they expect “a fair and impartial review” will lead to dismissal.
The transition of this case highlights how prosecutorial integrity can influence the viability of high-stakes litigation. The original case was weakened when Willis’s personal conduct raised ethical concerns. By appointing an independent prosecutor, Georgia seeks to restore public confidence and preserve the case’s legitimacy.
More broadly, the case remains the last significant pending criminal prosecution of Trump. Its fate may shape perceptions about accountability for political actors and how robustly states can pursue investigations into election interference.
Key upcoming developments include whether Skandalakis files new indictments, drops charges, or limits the scope of the prosecution. A status hearing is scheduled in Fulton County for early December, which may clarify the next steps and timing. Observers will also watch how the legal team handles the vast volume of materials transferred to the new prosecutor and whether any plea deals or motions to dismiss occur.
Additionally, the public reaction, especially among Georgia voters, could influence political calculus for future elections.
With a new prosecutor at the helm, the Georgia election case against Trump appears poised to continue, but its trajectory remains uncertain. The appointment of Peter Skandalakis signals an effort to preserve legal integrity in a case that nearly collapsed due to conflict concerns surrounding the previous lead. For Trump and his co-defendants, the shift represents both uncertainty and opportunity. The coming months will determine whether this investigation ultimately concludes in trial, plea deal or dismissal.
