A federal judge ruled that fired prosecutor Maurene Comey’s wrongful termination claims belong in federal court rather than administrative proceedings, rejecting the government’s push to move the case away from court.

Judge Jesse M. Furman determined the sole reason for Comey’s firing—the Article II vesting executive power in the president—places the case outside typical administrative review processes.

During December oral arguments, Furman had indicated the government’s position that Comey’s firing should first be reviewed by the Merit Systems Protection Board, delaying immediate discovery.

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The decision clarifies that while it does not resolve the merits, it permits continued litigation on the constitutional and legal questions.

The Epstein case, prosecuted in New York, has long influenced political perceptions around Trump and related conspiracies after Epstein’s death in 2019.

Comey’s career includes prosecutions in high-profile SDNY cases, and a DOJ subpoena related to his 2017 congressional testimony is noted.

High-profile defendants previously prosecuted by Comey in SDNY include Sean Combs, Robert Hadden, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell.

A pretrial conference was scheduled for May 28, with a 27-page opinion detailing the ruling and rationale released by the court.

A further hearing before Judge Furman was set for May 28 as part of the case’s proceedings.

The ruling allows the civil case to move forward, indicating there may be viable claims to pursue in federal court.

James Comey pleaded not guilty to prior charges related to Russia-related congressional testimony, with prior dismissal and potential for renewed prosecution discussed by the DOJ.