Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been ordered to pay over $54,000 in attorneys’ fees after a judge ruled that her office violated Georgia’s Open Records Act by failing to turn over requested public documents.
According to The Associated Press, The ruling, issued by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause, came in response to a lawsuit filed by attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign staffer indicted in August 2023 alongside Donald Trump and others for allegedly attempting to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.
Merchant sued in January 2024, arguing that Willis’ office had wrongfully withheld records.
Judge Krause determined that Willis’ office had engaged in “intentional” and “vexatious” noncompliance, lacking substantial justification for failing to fulfill the records requests.
As a result, Willis must pay $54,000 in legal fees and provide all requested documents within 30 days of the ruling. A spokesperson for Willis’ office announced plans to appeal the order.
Merchant stated that the lawsuit was a last resort after repeated delays and refusals from Willis’ office.
“They were just ignoring it and telling us that documents didn’t exist that we knew existed,” Merchant said.
Judge Krause also found that Willis’ office treated Merchant’s requests with “open hostility” and handled them differently than those from other requesters.
Among the requested documents were reports analyzing the public perception of Willis’ media statements, non-disclosure agreements signed by her staff, and a list of attorneys hired by her office.
The lawsuit’s revelations come amid heightened scrutiny of Willis, particularly following allegations of an improper romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, which led the Georgia Court of Appeals to disqualify her from prosecuting the election interference case against Trump.
While the Georgia Supreme Court is still considering whether to review that decision, the legal challenges surrounding Willis continue to mount, raising questions about the future of the case and her office’s handling of public records.
