Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is under increased legal scrutiny following a ruling from Judge Robert McBurney of the Fulton County Superior Court in favor of Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group.

The court decision mandates Willis to release records of communications between her office, Special Counsel Jack Smith, and the House January 6 Committee, as part of a lawsuit filed under Georgia’s Open Records Act.

The ruling, issued after Willis’s office failed to respond to Judicial Watch’s open records request in a timely manner, grants a default judgment against the district attorney.

Willis is now required to produce the requested documents within five business days and justify any withheld communications.

Judicial Watch filed its lawsuit in March 2024, accusing Willis of violating Georgia’s transparency laws.

Breaking News.

Fulton County Superior Court has issued a default judgment against District Attorney Fani Willis for refusing to turn over records that could document her collusion with the J6 committee and Special Counsel Jack Smith.

The court order states: “By finding the… pic.twitter.com/pipBiByFyW

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) December 10, 2024

The group sought communications related to January 6 investigations, specifically those involving Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee.

Judicial Watch alleged that Willis’s office improperly claimed no such records existed.

The case gained momentum when Willis missed critical deadlines to respond.

Despite being served with the lawsuit on March 11, 2024, her office did not file a timely response, leading Judicial Watch to request a default judgment in April.

Willis later argued that confusion over court docketing caused delays, but Judge McBurney rejected her explanation, stating, “Defendant is in default and has been since April 11, 2024.”

Central to the case is a December 2021 letter from Willis to then-House January 6 Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson.

In the letter, Willis expressed willingness to cooperate with the committee and offered to travel to Washington, D.C., if needed.

Judicial Watch contends this letter demonstrates that Willis’s office was involved in discussions with federal entities regarding January 6 matters, directly contradicting earlier claims that no such records existed.

“Judicial Watch and a state court forced Fani Willis to confirm additional documents exist about her collusion with the partisan Pelosi January 6 Committee to ‘get Trump,’” said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch.

“But Willis, citing legal exemptions for a prosecution that’s essentially dead in the water, now wants to hide these records from the American public. Judicial Watch plans to push back in court against this disingenuous secrecy.”

FANI WILLIS FOUND IN DEFAULT: Judicial Watch has filed FOIA lawsuits for 30 years, and never has a government official been found in default by a court for a simple open records lawsuit. This shows you where Fani’s competency/corruption is. @TomFittonhttps://t.co/RnaZp6gj6c pic.twitter.com/waoVDoYBOc

— Judicial Watch ⚖️ (@JudicialWatch) December 10, 2024

This legal battle adds to the mounting challenges facing Willis, who is overseeing a high-profile case against President-elect Donald Trump and others regarding efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.

Earlier in 2024, Judicial Watch also filed a lawsuit over Willis’s appointment of Nathan Wade as a special prosecutor in Georgia’s election-related investigations.

The organization separately revealed that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg paid significant legal fees to counter federal oversight related to Trump’s indictment.

Tom Fitton further commented on the implications of the court ruling, stating, “This is the first time in our 30 years of work that a government official has been found in default for failing to respond to an open records lawsuit.”

The ruling marks a significant moment in the broader examination of Willis’s conduct and transparency in prosecuting Trump and his allies.

Judicial Watch has committed to continuing its legal efforts to uncover potential collaborations between Willis, the Biden-Harris administration, and Congress regarding January 6 and related matters.

“We look forward to getting any documents from the Fani Willis operation about collusion with the Biden administration and Nancy Pelosi’s Congress on her unprecedented and compromised ‘get-Trump’ prosecution,” Fitton said.

As public scrutiny intensifies, this legal setback highlights ongoing concerns about transparency and political motivations in high-profile cases.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sean Parnell. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.