Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis made headlines earlier this year after it emerged that she had an affair with a man hired to help prosecute former President Donald Trump.

A Georgia appeals court has now set a date to weigh arguments over whether the scandal means Willis should be thrown off Trump's case. 

Trial judge acknowledged a "significant appearance of impropriety"

ABC News reported this weekend that the Georgia Court of Appeals has tentatively scheduled a hearing on the matter for October 4.

That move came less than a month after the court said it would take up Trump's challenge to an earlier decision by Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee.

McAfee ruled in March that Willis and former lover Nathan Wade had created "significant appearance of impropriety" through their behavior.

However, McAfee stopped short of disqualifying Willis and instead determined that she could continue to prosecute Trump provided that Wade left her office, something which he quickly did.

Willis called former lover "brave" following his resignation

"Although the court found, that 'the Defendants failed to meet their burden of proving that the District Attorney acquired an actual conflict of interest,' I am offering my resignation in the interest of democracy, in dedication to the American public, and to move this case forward as quickly as possible," ABC News quoted Wade as saying in his letter of resignation.

The Washington Times reported that Willis responded to Wade's departure with a letter in which she praised him for being "brave" and "an outstanding advocate."

NEW: Fulton County DA Fani Willis has accepted the resignation of her deputy Nathan Wade, per letter, a move which allows her to continue on the case — pic.twitter.com/UgjnE7rb4q

— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) March 15, 2024

Steve Sadow is one of Trump's attorneys, and according to Breitbart he put out a statement welcoming the appellate court's move.

Case could be "scuttled altogether"

Sadow said the defense team looks "forward to presenting argument before Judges Brown, Markel, and Land on why this case should be dismissed."

He added that Fulton County DA Willis should be disqualified for the trial court's acknowledged 'odor of mendacity' misconduct in violation of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct."

Washington Post contributor Amy Gardner noted earlier this year that "the case against Trump would almost certainly be delayed if not scuttled altogether" should Willis be removed.

"It would fall to a state panel called the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia to identify a new prosecutor to take on the case," Gardner explained, adding that the process "could take months or even years."