• Judge disqualifies Sigal Chattah from supervising four criminal cases.
• Ruling cites illegal extension of her appointment beyond 120 days.
• The decision indicates ongoing legal challenges to Trump's prosecutor appointments.

A U.S. District Court judge has disqualified Nevada's lead federal prosecutor, Sigal Chattah, from supervising four criminal cases, ruling that she is not validly serving in her role. This marks a significant setback for the Trump administration amid efforts to circumvent legal restrictions on temporary appointments for federal prosecutors, according to CBS News and Reuters.

Judge David G. Campbell concluded that Chattah's tenure, initially a temporary appointment set for 120 days in March, was improperly extended by the Justice Department, which had shifted her to a role allowing her to continue as acting U.S. attorney, a move Judge Campbell ruled unlawful. The ruling was shaped by a legal challenge from federal public defenders in Nevada, who asserted that Chattah should be barred from involvement in these criminal proceedings, as stated in both India Times and Reuters.

Judge Campbell's ruling emphasized the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which mandates that should the position of U.S. attorney become vacant, the first assistant U.S. attorney typically assumes the role. This case reflects broader criticisms regarding the methods used by the Trump administration to maintain control over U.S. attorney positions, following a similar ruling against Alina Habba in New Jersey, as reported by CBS News and India Times.