The U.S. Justice Department has decided to fight a federal judge’s ruling that stripped Alina Habba—once a personal attorney to Donald Trump—of her authority as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor.
Last week, Chief Judge Matthew Brann ruled that Habba’s continued service as acting U.S. Attorney was unlawful, blasting the unusual steps taken to extend her temporary tenure. He concluded that the legal maneuvers used to keep her in power bypassed the rules Congress had set for such appointments.
The fallout has been immediate: hundreds of ongoing federal cases in New Jersey are now in limbo. Judges there had already refused to extend Habba’s interim term, instead appointing her deputy, Desiree Grace, to step in. But the Trump administration ousted Grace and tried to reinstall Habba, a move Brann said broke the law.
By challenging the ruling, the Justice Department is not just defending a personnel decision—it’s also attempting to stabilize a federal prosecutorial office now tangled in political and legal crossfire.
