Attorney General Pam Bondi has confirmed that her office is moving forward with an appeal after a federal judge dismissed criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The ruling, issued Monday, abruptly halted two of the most politically sensitive prosecutions currently facing the Justice Department.

Bondi, speaking at an event in Memphis, said the appeal process would begin immediately.
“We’ll be taking all available legal action, including an immediate appeal, to ensure that James Comey and Letitia James are held accountable for their unlawful conduct,” she said. Bondi argued that the public “deserves justice,” calling the alleged actions of the two officials a betrayal of trust.

The judge’s decision centered on the appointment of Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor who brought the indictments. In a sharply worded ruling, U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie declared that Halligan’s appointment as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia had expired months earlier, rendering her authority invalid. Because of that lapse, the judge found that all actions taken under her name—including the indictments—were legally void.

Currie wrote that Halligan’s continued role amounted to “an unlawful exercise of executive power,” leaving no choice but to dismiss the cases. The dismissal, however, was made without prejudice, meaning the Justice Department could pursue new charges under a properly appointed prosecutor.

The ruling affects both cases that Halligan led:

• James Comey, who faced charges of providing false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional investigation related to the 2020 Crossfire Hurricane review.

• Letitia James, who was indicted on accusations of bank fraud and making false statements tied to a real estate purchase in Virginia.

Both had pleaded not guilty and argued that the prosecutions were politically tainted.

The possibility of refiling charges remains uncertain. Legal analysts note that Comey’s case may run into statute-of-limitations issues if prosecutors attempt to bring it back. Letitia James’ case, meanwhile, is considered more likely to be refiled if the DOJ decides to pursue it again.

Bondi defended Halligan after the court ruling, calling her a qualified prosecutor caught in a technical dispute. She insisted that the DOJ’s work would continue despite the legal setback.

The Department of Justice now must decide how to proceed—whether to appeal the ruling, re-indict under new leadership, or abandon the cases entirely. The ruling also raises broader questions about the legality of interim appointments and how political transitions within the Justice Department affect high-profile prosecutions.

For now, Bondi is making clear that she intends to push forward:
“Justice is not optional,” she said. “We are moving ahead.”