All articles tagged with #interim us attorney
A federal judge ruled that the District of New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office leadership—divided among three appointees after Alina Habba’s disqualification—was unlawfully appointed and exceeded the Attorney General’s authority, potentially affecting pending cases; this marks the second such ruling in under a year and reflects broader challenges to interim U.S. attorneys nationwide.
Lindsey Halligan, Trump’s interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, stepped down from the Justice Department after a judge sharply criticized her rhetoric and a prior ruling found her appointment invalid, prompting EDVA to seek an interim replacement as her 120-day term ended; Attorney General Pam Bondi called the departure a significant loss and Halligan said the court vacancy would be filled through other means.
A federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia barred Lindsey Halligan from presenting herself as the United States Attorney until she is properly appointed or Senate-confirmed, noting her lack of prosecutorial experience and granting her the benefit of the doubt by not referring her for disciplinary action at this time. The court also posted a vacancy for an Interim U.S. Attorney with a Feb. 10, 2026 deadline as the DOJ appeals a ruling that Halligan unlawfully served; Halligan was nominated again on Jan. 13 but has not been confirmed, and earlier cases against James and Comey were dismissed during her tenure.