Judge rules Trump administration unlawfully fired federal prosecutor Maurene Comey

Maurene Comey challenged her dismissal as a federal prosecutor in 2025, arguing that it was politically motivated. On October 26, a judge ruled that the Trump administration had fired her unlawfully, according to an Associated Press report.

She is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey. President Donald Trump fired him as FBI director in 2017, and he has remained a target of Trump for years, CNBC reported.

The ruling concerns Maurene Comey's employment. The separate criminal proceedings against her father concern allegations that he disclosed national defense information.

On October 26, the judge ruled against the administration over Maurene Comey's dismissal. The supplied Associated Press report establishes that the firing was unlawful but does not detail the judge's legal reasoning or the remedy ordered.

That same day, new allegations against James Comey became public. NBC News reported charges of transmitting national defense information and conspiring to transmit it, describing this as the administration's third criminal case against him.

His lawyers said the case concerned a purported disclosure to The New York Times in October 2016. They said the matter had already been investigated without charges being brought.

The filing's procedural status matters. Global News reported that the Justice Department said it had filed a criminal information to extend the 10-year statute of limitations for bringing a case. While several outlets described Comey as charged, CBS News described the action as steps toward charging him.

By October 27, Comey was publicly denying the allegations. Al Jazeera reported that he defended himself in an Instagram video. His lawyers also argued that the case was legally invalid and too late, according to Deutsche Welle.

The ruling against Maurene Comey's firing is the central development in her employment case. The provided coverage does not establish whether she will return to work, receive another remedy or face an appeal by the administration.

Her father's criminal matter remains contested. CBS reported that he was due in federal court on October 30, with his legal team preparing to seek dismissal of the Justice Department's latest prosecution attempt. The supplied coverage contains no outcome from that hearing.

The immediate next development is the court's handling of James Comey's dismissal arguments, including his lawyers' challenge to the timing and validity of the case. The October 30 hearing was set to bring the two sides before a judge, according to CBS.

In Maurene Comey's case, the unresolved practical issue is what follows the unlawful firing ruling. The coverage provided does not identify a timetable for implementing the decision or any administration response.