A federal judge dismissed the criminal indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that former Trump attorney Lindsey Halligan, who brought the cases, was not lawfully appointed.

Judge Cameron Currie found Halligan lacked authority to present the indictments, making all actions she took in the cases unlawful, and issued similar rulings for both defendants.

The indictments were dismissed “without prejudice,” meaning they could potentially be refiled, while Comey and James have pending motions seeking dismissal “with prejudice.”

Halligan was the sole prosecutor to present the cases despite other prosecutors advising against charges, and her appointment raised legal concerns due to the statutory 120-day limit for interim U.S. attorneys without Senate confirmation, NBC News has reported.

The ruling could have wider implications for other cases handled under similar disputed appointments, with the Justice Department appealing related decisions in other districts.