Power Struggle in N.J. Courts: Criminal Lawyers Challenge Alina Habba’s Authority Amid Legal Turmoil
New Jersey Legal Drama Deepens: Defense Attorneys Step In to Question Alina Habba’s Power
Trenton, NJ — July 31, 2025
New Jersey’s legal landscape is heating up as top criminal defense attorneys push to enter a federal case that could shake the very foundation of recent prosecutions—by challenging the authority of Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.
What began as a routine drug trafficking case has now turned into a high-stakes legal showdown. The controversy centers around whether Habba, a former attorney for Donald Trump, was legally appointed to lead New Jersey’s federal prosecutions. If her appointment is deemed invalid, it could unravel numerous active cases—including one where the defendant is already demanding the charges be dropped on those grounds.
This legal flashpoint has drawn the attention of the New Jersey Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, who have filed a motion to formally join the case. Their goal? If the court believes Habba lacked power, preserve all defendants’ rights. Their move shows legal professionals’ growing anxiety about such a ruling’s repercussions.
Defense attorneys say allowing prosecutions under questionable leadership endangers defendants and the justice system. “We’re not here to play politics,” one senior defense lawyer said. “We’re here to defend constitutional rights, and those rights include being prosecuted by someone legally appointed to do so.”
The federal court handling the case has yet to rule on whether the criminal defense lawyers will be granted official status in the matter. Stepping in shows how much is at stake—not just for one case, but for New Jersey’s federal prosecutorial jurisdiction.
Political and legal controversy surrounded the appointment of Alina Habba as Acting U.S. Attorney earlier this year. Critics say her appointment bypassed scrutiny and approval, putting her legality in question.
This courtroom confrontation could be a landmark moment. If the judge agrees that Habba’s appointment was improper, defense teams may start lining up to challenge past convictions and pending indictments.
As the legal community waits for the next move, one thing is clear: this is no longer just a question of one defendant’s guilt. It’s a battle over who truly holds the power to prosecute in the Garden State.
