Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis listens during the final arguments in her disqualification hearing on March 1 in Atlanta. She was allowed to remain on the case if a special prosecutor she hired resigned.

Alex Slitz/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

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Alex Slitz/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis listens during the final arguments in her disqualification hearing on March 1 in Atlanta. She was allowed to remain on the case if a special prosecutor she hired resigned.

Alex Slitz/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

ATLANTA — The Georgia Court of Appeals has granted oral arguments after former President Donald Trump appealed a decision allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to stay on the criminal case involving him and others.

The court’s decision likely further diminishes chances that the Georgia election interference case goes to trial this year.

This spring, Fulton Judge Scott McAfee allowed Willis to remain on the case — if the special prosecutor she had been in a romantic relationship with resigned.

Trump and other defendants who first raised allegations of a conflict of interest appealed that decision.

The appeals court must now hear and rule on the question within two terms, or about six months.

McAfee is unlikely to set a trial date before that time, meaning the case almost certainly remains unresolved before the November election.

Trump’s lawyer in Georgia praised the appeals court’s decision. The DA’s office declined to comment.

Trump’s also facing federal charges for attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss and for mishandling classified documents. Both of those cases have also been delayed.