Judge rules Epstein prosecutor’s dismissal unlawful
A US judge has ruled that federal prosecutor Maurene Comey was unlawfully dismissed by the Trump administration.
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The dismissal of US federal prosecutor Maurene Comey was unlawful, a federal judge ruled on Monday. Comey previously worked on criminal cases involving Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The ruling also calls into question the Trump administration’s authority to dismiss career prosecutors swiftly.
Comey was dismissed by the US Department of Justice in July 2025. She argued that her dismissal was linked to her father, former FBI director James Comey, who is a political opponent of President Donald Trump. She said the dismissal violated rules protecting civil servants from political retaliation.
The judge ruled in Comey’s favour and, according to Associated Press, ordered her reinstatement with retrospective effect. She would also be entitled to back pay. The judge ruled that her dismissal was unlawful.
Comey worked for almost ten years at the Manhattan district attorney’s office. During that period, she was involved in the prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021, and in a case against music producer Sean Combs. Her work on the Epstein case explains why her dismissal is attracting additional political attention, but it was not the legal core of the ruling.
According to Reuters, the Trump administration argued that the attorney general has broad powers to dismiss assistant prosecutors. According to Reuters, the judge rejected that reasoning. The judgment therefore concerns the boundary between a minister’s political responsibility and the independence of officials who conduct criminal prosecutions.
The ruling could affect other dismissals within the US Department of Justice. That will depend on any appeals and on how other judges assess similar dismissals. It is not yet known whether Comey will return to working on the Epstein case.
The case concerns the authority of the US president and the Department of Justice to dismiss prosecutors. The ruling is not a judgment on the guilt of anyone in the Epstein case, but solely on the lawfulness of Comey’s dismissal.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- A federal judge has declared Maurene Comey’s dismissal by the US Department of Justice unlawful.
- Comey said she was dismissed for political reasons and won her legal case.
- The ruling concerns her dismissal, not the guilt or innocence of anyone in the Epstein case.
Left
Arguments The ruling confirms that career civil servants and prosecutors must be protected from political retaliation. A department may set political priorities, but it may not dismiss someone because of family ties or political associations.
Values An independent rule of law, protection of civil servants and limits on presidential power.
Consequences Greater judicial oversight of political appointments and dismissals could strengthen the independence of the justice system, but could also lead to prolonged conflicts between the courts and the government.
Centre
Arguments The attorney general must be able to exercise administrative responsibility, but dismissal powers must be constrained by transparent procedures and verifiable criteria.
Values Institutional stability, legal certainty and a workable relationship between elected officials and civil servants.
Consequences A clear legal test could make future proceedings more predictable without removing the government’s political responsibility altogether.
Right
Arguments An elected government must be able to direct its department and replace staff it does not trust. Judges should be cautious about intervening in personnel decisions by the executive branch.
Values Democratic oversight, administrative effectiveness and presidential responsibility.
Consequences Broader dismissal powers could enable policy to be implemented more quickly, but critics say they increase the risk of the justice system becoming part of political retaliation.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s central claim was confirmed by two public news sources describing the same ruling of 26 October 2026. Uncertainties about an appeal and Comey’s future position are explicitly limited.
- confirmed A US federal judge ruled on 26 October 2026 that Maurene Comey’s dismissal was unlawful. — Reported by Associated Press and Reuters. source
- confirmed Comey was dismissed by the US Department of Justice in July 2025. — Mentioned in the Reuters report. source
- confirmed Comey worked on cases involving Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. — Mentioned by Associated Press and Reuters. source
- confirmed The judge ordered her reinstatement and back pay. — Mentioned by Associated Press. source
Editor's note
The ruling and its consequences for Comey were confirmed by Associated Press and Reuters. Details about a possible appeal or her future work are not known.Sources
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