How much will Georgia's dismissed Trump case cost taxpayers? Here's what we know so far
Now that Georgia's election-interference case against former President Donald Trump has been dismissed, the focus has shifted to a new question: How much could Fulton County taxpayers eventually owe?
A new Georgia law allows defendants to request reimbursement for their legal bills if a prosecutor is disqualified and the case is dismissed — a change WSB-TV reports was written specifically for this purpose. Attorneys told the station the financial impact on Fulton County could reach "millions" and possibly "tens of millions," though no formal claims have been filed yet.
Here's what we know — and don't know — based on verifiable public records.
Trump's legal spending in Georgia: More than $5.5 million
Public filings reviewed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) show Trump's PACs have spent upward of $5.5 million on Georgia-based attorneys since 2021. That includes:
- More than $1.5 million paid to lead attorney Steve Sadow since August 2023
- Nearly $1.5 million to his former lawyer Drew Findling
- More than $2.2 million to attorney Jennifer Little between March 2021 and August 2024
- $326,000 combined for three additional Georgia attorneys
All figures are sourced directly from PAC disclosures reviewed by the AJC.
Georgia GOP spent $2.3M defending three fake electors
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also reports the Georgia Republican Party paid about $2.3 million in legal fees for:
- Former party chair David Shafer
- Cathy Latham
- State Sen. Shawn Still
These are the three Republicans who signed certificates falsely claiming Trump won Georgia.
Crowdfunding adds hundreds of thousands more
Several co-defendants raised large sums online for their defense. According to the AJC:
- Harrison Floyd: ~$363,000
- John Eastman: $937,000
- Jeff Clark: ~$153,000
Total defense spending already "well above $10 million"
While the exact total remains unknown, the AJC reports legal bills for Trump and the other defendants are likely "well above $10 million." That figure does not include any costs the county incurred prosecuting the case — and no detailed accounting of Fulton County's spending has been released.
There is currently no public record of:
- District Attorney's investigative or staffing costs
- Court administration expenses
- Evidence processing or storage costs
- Overtime or security spending tied specifically to the case
Will Fulton County taxpayers be responsible for those bills?
Possibly but not yet.
Under the law, each defendant has 45 days from the date of dismissal to file a claim seeking reimbursement for "reasonable attorney's fees and costs." Judge Scott McAfee will then decide how much, if anything, the county must pay.
The final amount could be substantial, but no reimbursement has been ordered, and there is no confirmed total for what Fulton County will ultimately owe.