What happened

Federal Judge Jesse Furman ruled on Monday that the Justice Department illegally fired Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor in New York and the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey. He ordered the Trump administration to reinstate her and pay her back pay from July, when she lost her job, until December 2025, when she took a new job.

Comey sued after her July 2025 dismissal, arguing she was fired because of her father, a prominent critic of President Donald Trump, and because of her perceived political affiliations. The department said in court filings that the decision was made by former Attorney General Pam Bondi. In his ruling, Furman said the dismissal violated the Constitution and Comey's right to a fair legal process. An attorney general can fire federal prosecutors, he wrote, but only "in a particular manner and only for certain reasons."

The Justice Department said it disagreed with the decision and "will appeal in due course." Comey's lawyers called it a victory for civil servants: "This hard-earned victory belongs to Ms Comey, to all civil servants, and to all fighting for the rule of law."

Why it matters

Comey was no junior prosecutor. Furman noted she was assigned some of the country's highest-profile cases and consistently earned the highest praise from supervisors and peers. Her caseload included cases against the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who was convicted last year on prostitution-related charges involving two former girlfriends.

Comey has said the only explanation she was given for her firing was that it "came from Washington." Her September 2025 complaint argued she was dismissed "solely or substantially" because of her father or her perceived politics, or both. The ruling is the latest in a string of courtroom clashes between the administration and its critics, including a case in which [citizens sued over White House press restrictions](/article/citizens-sue-trump-white-house-press-restrictions).

What it means for the US

For American readers, the case is about whether federal prosecutors can be fired for who they are related to or what they are believed to think. If the ruling stands, it strengthens job protections for career civil servants across the government, not just prosecutors. If the appeal succeeds, the White House gains wider latitude to remove officials it distrusts.

The timing sharpens the stakes. With the November 3 midterms a week away, the independence of the Justice Department is already a campaign issue, and the Comey name sits at the center of it. Trump was himself recently ordered to give a sworn deposition in [the BBC's lawsuit against him](/article/trump-ordered-sworn-deposition-bbc-lawsuit). Meanwhile, the administration has now brought charges against James Comey three times. One case, alleging he lied to Congress, was dismissed after a judge found the prosecutor who brought it was unlawfully appointed. Earlier, he was charged over a 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged to read "86 47" -- "eighty-six" being slang for "get rid of" -- which prosecutors said threatened the president. On Monday, prosecutors also charged him with leaking national defence information, according to a court filing. He denies any wrongdoing.

What happens next

The appeal comes first. The Justice Department will ask a higher court to overturn Furman's order, and the fight over reinstatement and back pay will play out alongside the criminal cases against James Comey. The department is fighting on several legal fronts at once, including [its bid to block Alaska's Senate certification](/article/blanche-defends-doj-bid-block-alaska-senate-certification). If the appeals court sides with Maurene Comey, the department must restore her post and pay what she is owed through December 2025. If it reverses, her dismissal stands, and the case could climb further up the courts.