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Alina Habba has stepped down as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor. This follows a court battle that challenged her eligibility to occupy the role.

Acceptance of Resignation

The head of the Justice Department, the Attorney General, accepted Habba's resignation on Monday. Bondi stated that the court's "flawed" ruling made it "untenable" for the official to lead the department effectively.

"But do not mistake following the order as giving up," she wrote. "My fight will now extend throughout America."

Legal Background

The departure comes a week after a US appeals court found that she had been serving in violation of the law as the top prosecutor. This ruling is expected to impact scores of criminal cases in the state.

The court said that a acting appointment that bypassed Senate approval breached the federal law governing appointments.

Ongoing Legal Battle

It was also stated that Habba will continue working within the justice department as a senior adviser. She will pursue additional appeals of the court's action, with hopes of a different outcome.

Writing online, the Attorney General argued that the judiciary "should not be able to override the executive's selection of prosecutors entrusted with performing the primary duty of the administration of enforcing the law."

Record and Legacy

She commended the prosecutor's work and said that during her run, the Newark saw a one-fifth decrease in crime. Additionally that the Camden experienced its initial homicide-free summer since 1974 with no murders.

Legal Career

Habba, 41, was initially recruited to Trump's personal legal team in 2021. She went on to defended Trump in his New York criminal case in 2024, which resulted in his guilty verdict on dozens of charges of falsifying business records.

Earlier, her appointment to the federal prosecutor position, Trump had stated he was appointing her as his White House advisor in a potential future term, describing the lawyer as a steadfast ally and a dedicated fighter for justice.