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The ex-lawyer for the former president has stepped down as the US Attorney for New Jersey. This comes after a court battle that invalidated her right to occupy the role.

Official Departure

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

"Let no one confuse compliance for surrender," she wrote. "This battle will now stretch across the country."

Legal Background

Her resignation comes a week after a US appeals court ruled that she had been acting without proper authority as the top prosecutor. This judgment is likely to affect many prosecutions in New Jersey.

The judicial panel declared that a interim role that skirted confirmation by the US Senate violated the federal law governing appointments.

Next Steps and Responses

The Attorney General added that the former prosecutor will remain at the DOJ as a senior adviser. Habba plans to challenge the decision of the court's action, aiming for a reversal.

Writing online, Bondi wrote that the court "cannot be permitted to countermand the appointment of attorneys tasked with performing the primary duty of the administration of criminal prosecution."

Record and Legacy

Bondi commended Habba's record and said that under her leadership, the city of Newark saw a significant drop in offenses. Additionally that the Camden experienced its first summer in 50 years without a homicide.

Connection to Donald Trump

Habba, 41, was initially recruited to Donald Trump's lawyers in recent years. She went on to acted for the former president in his business records case in New York last year, when he was conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

Prior to Habba took on the federal prosecutor position, Donald Trump had revealed he was appointing her as his presidential counsellor if re-elected, describing Habba as a steadfast ally and a relentless legal advocate.