James Comey, Letitia James Cases Dismissed Over 'Unl...

A federal judge dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James without prejudice on Monday, after ruling that the U.S. Attorney who brought the charges was unlawfully appointed.

U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie found that Lindsey Halligan had been appointed as interim U.S. Attorney just two days before Comey's case with no prior prosecutorial experience. Her disqualification renders her actions, including the signing of the indictment, legally invalid. It's the latest legal rebuke of the Trump administration’s efforts to target President Donald Trump’s political opponents.

What To Know

Lawyers for Comey and James has asked the Eastern District of Virginia judge to disqualify Halligan, arguing she was appointed after the previous U.S. attorney’s 120-day window had expired.
Today's ruling comes after the Justice Department acknowledged that the grand jury that indicted Comey was never shown the final version of the charges. Instead, Halligan had brought an altered version to the magistrate's courtroom for the grand jury's foreperson to sign.
Comey's attorney, Michael Dreeben, argued this admission meant that there was no indictment against his client and that the statute of limitations meant the chance of securing a new one had collapsed.
In a separate decision, a federal magistrate cited a pattern of investigative missteps—including potential Fourth Amendment violations, in the grand jury process and said the FBI and prosecutors may have acted recklessly or willfully in ways that undermined the integrity of the proceedings.
Comey has pleaded not guilty to charges accusing him of making a false statement and obstructing Congress and has denied any wrongdoing. The Justice Department has denied that the prosecution was vindictive or selective and insists that the allegations support the indictment.
James, a Democrat, has pleaded not guilty to mortgage fraud allegations. Her lawyers have argued that her prosecution is improperly vindictive and motivated by the president’s personal animus.

Stay with Newsweek for the latest updates.

Nov 24, 2025 at 01:31 PM EST

All about James Comey’s arraignment

Former FBI Director James Comey was arraigned in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on October 8, facing charges brought under pressure from President Donald Trump.

The Justice Department indicted Comey in September on one count of making false statements and another of obstruction of justice, tied to testimony he gave before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020 about the Clinton email probe and Russian election interference.

At his first court appearance, the charges were formally read, and Comey entered a not guilty plea. In a video statement after the indictment, he declared, “let’s go to trial.”

Trump had repeatedly urged prosecutors, including Pam Bondi, to pursue cases against political adversaries, a move critics say reflects the weaponization of the Justice Department.

Nov 24, 2025 at 01:29 PM EST

Who is U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan?

Lindsey Halligan was appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in September this year.

Halligan grew up in Broomfield, Colorado, and earned a B.A. in politics and broadcast journalism from Regis University before she obtained her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 2013. After law school, Halligan practiced insurance law in South Florida with the firm Cole, Scott & Kissane, becoming a partner in 2018.

In 2022, she joined Donald Trump’s legal team, particularly in matters relating to the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago and Trump’s classified documents case.

In 2025, she was appointed by Trump, with backing from Attorney General Pam Bondi, as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia despite having no prosecutorial experience - a move that was met with heavy criticism.

Her role immediately placed her at the center of politically sensitive cases: she signed indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Today, a judge ruled that she has been unlawfully appointed and that her indictments were no longer legally valid.

Nov 24, 2025 at 01:25 PM EST

What to know about Letitia James and James Comey’s cases being tossed

A federal judge has dismissed criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that President Donald Trump’s chosen prosecutor was unlawfully appointed.

U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie found that Lindsey Halligan’s installation as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia violated laws requiring Senate confirmation for top Justice Department posts. Currie wrote that Halligan “has been unlawfully serving in that role since September 22, 2025,” and that all actions stemming from her appointment “must be set aside.”

The cases were dismissed “without prejudice,” leaving open the possibility of refiling. However, Comey’s attorneys have signaled they will argue re‑indictment is barred because the statute of limitations expired in September.

Nov 24, 2025 at 01:23 PM EST

Who is Judge Cameron McGowan Currie?

Judge Cameron McGowan Currie is a senior federal judge serving on the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. Born on October 3, 1948, in Florence, South Carolina, she graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1970 and earned her law degree from the George Washington University Law School in 1975.

Currie began her legal career clerking for a U.S. magistrate judge in Washington, D.C., before moving into private practice. She later served as an assistant U.S. attorney in both the District of Columbia and the District of South Carolina, gaining experience in federal prosecution. In 1984, she became a U.S. magistrate judge in South Carolina, a position she held for two years before returning to private practice and teaching as an adjunct law professor. She went on to serve as South Carolina’s chief deputy attorney general from 1989 to 1994.

President Bill Clinton nominated Currie to the federal bench in 1994. The Senate confirmed her the same year, and she received her commission in March 1994. After nearly two decades of active service, she assumed senior status on October 3, 2013.

Nov 24, 2025 at 01:20 PM EST

What was Letitia James charged with?

Letitia James was charged with federal crimes of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.

The indictment alleges she misrepresented a property in Norfolk, Virginia, as a second home when she intended to use it as a rental investment property to secure more favorable loan terms.

She had pleaded not guilty to those charges.

They have now been dismissed, with the judge citing the unlawful appointment of her prosecutor.

Nov 24, 2025 at 01:18 PM EST

What was James Comey charged with?

James Comey was charged with obstructing a congressional investigation and making a false statement to Congress related to his 2020 Senate testimony.

The former FBI director has strongly denied the charges.

They have now been dismissed, with the judge citing the unlawful appointment of his prosecutor.

Nov 24, 2025 at 01:17 PM EST

When was U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan appointed?

Attorney Lindsey Halligan has served as the interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia since September 2025. Halligan has additionally served as a special attorney for the Department of Justice since October 2025.

She was appointed as U.S. Attorney just two days before she appeared before a grand jury to obtain the indictment against James Comey on September 25.

Nov 24, 2025 at 01:15 PM EST

NY attorney general James celebrates court victory

New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday welcomed a legal victory that dismissed charges brought against her, calling the outcome a reaffirmation of her work on behalf of the state.

“I am heartened by today’s victory and grateful for the prayers and support I have received from around the country,” James said in a statement posted on social media.

She vowed to remain “fearless in the face of these baseless charges” and pledged to continue fighting for New Yorkers “every single day.”

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Nov 24, 2025 at 01:12 PM EST

Judge dismisses cases against Comey, Letitia James

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A federal judge has thrown out criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that the prosecutor who filed them at President Donald Trump’s urging was unlawfully appointed.

U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie said the Justice Department’s installation of prosecutor Lindsey Halligan violated appointment rules, making her the latest Trump‑era lawyer disqualified on those grounds.

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