In a last-minute development, the divorce proceedings involving Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade and his estranged wife, Jocelyn Wade, took an unexpected turn. A scheduled hearing for the case, which was set to take place in Fulton County, has been canceled, following indications that the couple has reached a temporary agreement. This agreement has implications beyond the divorce proceedings, particularly regarding the potential testimony related to Nathan Wade’s alleged romantic involvement with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Nathan Wade has gained national attention as one of the attorneys leading the prosecution of former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants on RICO charges for election interference in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election. Willis had hired Wade to work on this high-profile case. The divorce proceedings attracted additional scrutiny after Michael Roman, a co-defendant of Trump, alleged in a court filing that Nathan Wade was romantically involved with Willis. Although the filing lacked concrete evidence, it referred to documents in the divorce case that supposedly supported these claims. Roman seeks to dismiss charges against him, asserting that the prosecution is invalid and unconstitutional due to financial improprieties involving Willis and Wade.
Last week, lawyers representing Trump and co-defendant Bob Cheeley joined Roman’s efforts to disqualify Willis from the election interference case, citing a conflict of interest arising from her hiring of her alleged romantic partner as a prosecutor. Adding another layer to the controversy, Jocelyn Wade filed an exhibit last Friday, revealing credit card spending that allegedly showed Nathan Wade booking flights for himself and Willis to San Francisco and Miami.
The latest development emerged when Judge Henry R. Thompson released an order stating that the Wades had reached a temporary agreement covering all present issues. The terms of this agreement will remain confidential as both parties agreed not to file it with the court. While this has postponed the need for an immediate hearing, it does not conclude the case. Andrea Hastings, an attorney for Jocelyn Wade, emphasized that the agreement addresses temporary alimony and attorney’s fees, and their focus now shifts to progressing the case toward resolution.
As the divorce proceedings take this unexpected turn, the pending deposition of Fani Willis, who was subpoenaed by Jocelyn Wade’s attorneys, adds another layer of complexity. Willis initially resisted the deposition, and Judge Thompson had delayed a ruling on the matter until after Nathan Wade’s deposition, which may now be unnecessary due to the temporary agreement. The allegations against Willis, however, remain relevant in the Trump election interference case, where a response to filings by Trump, Cheeley, and Roman is expected from Willis’ office by the court’s deadline of February 2. The Fulton County district attorney’s office has refrained from commenting on the allegations, stating that its response will be presented in court filings.