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June 5 (UPI) -- Donald Trump's Georgia election interference case is on indefinite hold until after the former president's appeal to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is decided, a Georgia court ruled Wednesday. The Georgia Court of Appeals issued a one-page ruling to pause the criminal proceedings, likely delaying any criminal trial until after this year's election in which Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee.
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Oral arguments in the appeal are scheduled for Oct. 4.
"The proceedings below in the Superior Court of Fulton County are hereby stayed pending the outcome of these appeals," the appeals court ruling stated with the names of nine defendants including Trump.
Trump and eight of his co-defendants filed the appeal on May 8 to get Willis removed from the case over her romance with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she appointed, claiming both Willis and Wade benefited financially and professionally from prosecuting the case.
The appeal followed Judge Scott McAfee's ruling on March 20 that the case could move forward and that Willis would remain as prosecutor. McAfee said the defense failed to prove that Willis financially benefitted from her relationship with Wade but the "appearance of impropriety" meant one of them would have to leave the case. Wade resigned after the ruling.
Wednesday's appeals court ruling to pause the Georgia election trial is a win for Trump, who was convicted on 34 felony counts in his hush money trial last week in New York.
"The Georgia Court of Appeals has properly stayed all proceedings against Trump in the trial court pending its decision on our interlocutory appeal which argues the case should be dismissed and Fulton County DA Willis should be disqualified for her misconduct," Steve Sadow, Trump's lead Georgia defense attorney, said Wednesday in a statement.
Trump and 18 co-defendants were charged in August for allegedly trying to subvert the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
While a spokesperson for Willis' office said they are not allowed to comment on the appeals court's order at this point, the attorney for 2020 Trump campaign operative Michael Roman praised the decision.
"We are happy that the Court of Appeals agrees with us that this issue is so important to this entire case that it decided to stop the case from moving forward in the trial court," Ashleigh Merchant said, "until the issue of whether or not Willis must be removed from the case can be decided."
