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A federal judge has ordered the reinstatement of Maurene Comey, a former Assistant United States Attorney, after ruling that her firing by the Trump administration was unlawful. The decision was made by U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman, who found that Comey's termination violated civil service protections, the separation of powers, and her Fifth Amendment rights, as reported by NBC News.
Comey, the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, was dismissed in July 2025. The judge ruled that the firing was not authorized by any statute and that the administration's defense "flies in the face of nearly two centuries of Supreme Court precedent." The Justice Department's argument that Article II of the Constitution allows for such dismissals was rejected by the court.
The judge granted Comey retroactive reinstatement and backpay from the date of her termination through December 20, 2025, when she began a new job. The ruling also declared that the Trump administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act and Comey's statutory rights, according to Politico.
Comey had worked on high-profile cases, including the prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs. She filed a lawsuit in September 2025, claiming her firing was due to President Donald Trump's animosity towards her father, Forbes reports.
The Justice Department has not yet commented on the ruling. The case highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and individuals involved in investigations related to the former president.