President Trump's choice to be New Jersey's U.S. attorney is officially out.

A panel of federal judges today blocked Alina Haba from staying in the job where she's served in an acting capacity for the last 120 days and instead selected Desiree Grace, Haba's first assistant, to replace her through a rarely used power, allowing judges to vote on a candidate of their own.

Grace is a seasoned prosecutor and registered Republican who clerked for state Supreme Court Justice Stuart Rabner and with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Her appointment is effective as of today, according to an order signed by Chief Judge Rene Boom.

The decision came just hours after Haba's temporary term was set to expire.

The former personal attorney for President Trump needed either a vote of the U.S. Senate to confirm her nomination or the support of New Jersey's federal judges to continue.

But there is still a possibility Haba could remain on the job after a similar showdown happened last week in the New York federal prosecutor's office and the White House intervened.

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