History of Fani Willis in Timeline

Fani Taifa Willis is an American attorney currently serving as the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, since 2021. Notably, she is the first woman to hold this position in Fulton County, which encompasses the majority of Atlanta. Her career is centered around law and public service within the Fulton County legal system.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

October 27, 1971: Fani Willis Born

On October 27, 1971, Fani Taifa Willis was born. She is an American attorney and the current district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia.

Others born on this day/year

1989: Graduated from Regina High School

In 1989, Fani Willis graduated from Regina High School, an all-girls Catholic high school in Maryland that subsequently closed.

1993: Graduated from Howard University

In 1993, Fani Willis graduated cum laude with a degree in political science from Howard University.

1996: Graduated from Emory University School of Law

In 1996, Fani Willis graduated from Emory University School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree, after moving to Atlanta.

1996: Marriage to Fred Willis

In 1996, Fani Willis married Fred Willis, whom she met on the day she took the Georgia bar exam. He was working as a videographer at the time.

2005: Divorce from Fred Willis

In 2005, Fani Willis and Fred Willis divorced. They had married in 1996 and had two daughters together.

2014: Lead Prosecutor in Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal Trial

In 2014, Fani Willis served as the lead prosecutor in the trial of twelve educators accused of correcting students' answers on standardized tests to inflate scores.

April 2015: Convictions in Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal Trial

In April 2015, eleven of the twelve educators in the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal were convicted of racketeering under Georgia's RICO statute, with Fani Willis serving as the lead prosecutor.

2018: Entered Private Practice and Ran for Fulton County Superior Court

In 2018, Fani Willis transitioned into private practice and unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Fulton County Superior Court.

2019: Became Chief Municipal Judge for South Fulton, Georgia

In 2019, Fani Willis became the Chief Municipal Judge for South Fulton, Georgia.

2020: Investigated 2020 Presidential Election in Georgia

In 2020, Fani Willis investigated the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, leading to indictments against Donald Trump and others. This investigation began during her tenure as District Attorney.

2020: Elected District Attorney for Fulton County

In 2020, Fani Willis was elected as the district attorney for Fulton County, defeating the incumbent Paul Howard Jr.

February 10, 2021: Launched Criminal Investigation into Trump's Election Influence Attempts

On February 10, 2021, Fani Willis launched a criminal investigation into Donald Trump's attempts to influence Georgia election officials.

2021: Served as District Attorney of Fulton County

Since 2021, Fani Willis has served as the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, which includes most of Atlanta. She is the first woman to hold the office in Fulton County.

January 2022: Requested Special Grand Jury for Election Interference Charges

In January 2022, Fani Willis requested a special grand jury to consider charges of election interference by Donald Trump and his allies.

May 2022: Indictment of Young Thug and YSL Members

In May 2022, Fani Willis's office indicted Young Thug and 28 members of his YSL record label for gang-related crimes under Georgia's RICO statute.

2022: Allegations of Misuse of Federal Grant Funding

In 2022, an employee in the Fulton County District Attorney's Office alleged that Fani Willis fired her for uncovering plans to misuse federal grant funding, sparking controversy.

January 9, 2023: Special Grand Jury Dissolved

On January 9, 2023, the special grand jury investigating election interference completed its work and was dissolved after hearing from 75 witnesses.

August 14, 2023: Indictment of Trump and Others on 41 Charges

On August 14, 2023, Fani Willis' office indicted Donald Trump and 18 others on 41 charges, including 13 charges against Trump.

November 27, 2023: Young Thug Trial Begins

On November 27, 2023, the trial of Young Thug and members of his YSL record label began, prosecuted by Fani Willis's office.

2023: Used RICO Statute to Prosecute Donald Trump

As of 2023, Fani Willis is using Georgia's RICO statute to prosecute former president Donald Trump and 18 alleged co-conspirators.

January 8, 2024: Motion to Disqualify Willis Filed

On January 8, 2024, a defendant filed a pre-trial motion to dismiss the indictment and disqualify Fani Willis and her office from prosecuting the RICO case, citing a conflict of interest due to her relationship with Nathan Wade.

February 15, 2024: Evidentiary Hearing on Willis' Disqualification Begins

On February 15, 2024, Judge Scott F. McAfee began an evidentiary hearing to consider the motion to disqualify Fani Willis due to her relationship with Nathan Wade.

May 2024: Georgia Court of Appeals to Hear Appeal on Willis' Removal

In May 2024, the Georgia Court of Appeals agreed to hear an appeal to revisit whether Fani Willis should be removed from the Trump case due to her relationship with Nathan Wade.

October 31, 2024: Young Thug Enters Guilty Plea

On October 31, 2024, Young Thug entered a guilty plea as part of a plea agreement in his RICO case, receiving 15 years of probation and being released from custody. Fani Willis's office released a statement on the plea deal.

November 2024: Willis Won Reelection Bid

In November 2024, Fani Willis won her reelection bid as District Attorney, defeating Republican Courtney Kramer in the general election.

2024: Charges Against Trump Quashed

In 2024, Judge Scott McAfee quashed 6 charges, including 3 against Donald Trump, in the case brought by Fani Willis's office, while giving prosecutors the option to refile these charges.

2024: House Judiciary Committee Subpoenaed Willis

In 2024, the House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Fani Willis regarding a whistleblower complaint from a former employee about alleged misuse of federal funds.

January 8, 2025: Willis' Office Ordered to Pay Judicial Watch

On January 8, 2025, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ordered Fani Willis's office to pay over $20,000 to Judicial Watch for falsely claiming they did not possess documents showing communication with the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack.

September 16, 2025: Supreme Court of Georgia Denied Certiorari

On September 16, 2025, the Supreme Court of Georgia denied certiorari in the appeal regarding Fani Willis' disqualification from the Trump case, finalizing the Fulton County DA's office's disqualification.