On Monday (July 15), Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause ordered the removal of Chief Judge Ural D Glanville from presiding over Young Thug’s racketeering trial.

“This Court has no doubt that Judge Glanville can and would continue presiding fairly over this matter if the recusal motions were denied,” Krause stated, per Billboard. “But the necessity of preserving the public’s confidence in the judicial system weighs in favor of excusing Judge Glanville from further handling of this case.”

Young Thug’s legal team welcomed the decision. Brian Steel stated, “Mr. Williams (Young Thug) is grateful that the reviewing court agreed with him and entered the order recusing and disqualifying Judge Glanville from presiding over Mr. Williams’ case. We look forward to proceeding with a trial judge who will fairly and faithfully follow the law.”

The lawyer further shared that the “Digits” rapper is “innocent of the charges brought in this indictment, and to clear his name, he sought a speedy trial, one in which he would receive the constitutional guarantees of a fair trial with an impartial judge presiding and ethical prosecutors following the law.”

The case, which is noted as the longest-running criminal trial in Georgia’s history, involves allegations against Young Thug and his associates under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Although the Young Stoner Life Records founder was initially arrested in May 2022, the trial began in November 2023.

Since then, it’s ran into many roadblocks and delays. Two of the notable postponements were centered around a juror’s face being revealed to the public and Young Thug’s co-defendant, Shannon Stillwell, being stabbed in jail.

Meanwhile, in June, Steel and star witness Kenneth “Lil Woody” Copeland were arrested and briefly held in contempt. The legal professional retaliated by filing a motion to remove Glanville from the case for having an undisclosed ex parte meeting with the state’s key witness.