• A federal appeals court disqualified Alina Habba from serving as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey.
• The court ruled her appointment violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.
• The unanimous decision is viewed as a setback for the Trump administration's legal maneuvers.
• Habba's appointment faced challenges over its legality, impacting ongoing criminal cases.
• This ruling follows a trend of disqualifications among Trump-appointed prosecutors nationwide.

A federal appeals court has determined that Alina Habba, a former personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, was unlawfully appointed as the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. The ruling from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disqualified her from supervising cases, marking a significant rebuke to the Trump administration's efforts to install loyalists in key positions, according to Reuters and The Hill.

The court upheld a prior ruling from U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann, affirming that Habba's appointment violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. Judges concluded that Habba was unlawfully serving as the top federal prosecutor, stating, "It is apparent that the current administration has been frustrated by some of the legal and political barriers to getting its appointees in place," according to CBS News and ABC News.

The appeals court's unanimous decision also barred Habba from serving in an "acting" capacity, despite attempts by the Trump administration to bypass the usual Senate confirmation process. This indicates significant challenges Trump’s administration faces in securing appointments, as highlighted by Judge D. Michael Fisher, noted for his comments on the need for stability in the U.S. Attorney's Office, as stated by South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.

This ruling is part of an ongoing trend where several Trump-appointed prosecutors are facing legal challenges over their nominations. Just days before this decision, a federal judge dismissed criminal charges against Lindsey Halligan, a Trump appointee in Virginia, emphasizing the illegality of her appointment. The Justice Department has indicated intentions to appeal these rulings, as reported by BBC and HuffPost.