Judge Rules Bill Essayli Is Unlawfully Serving as L.A.’s Top Federal Prosecutor

A federal judge ruled Tuesday, October 27, 2026, that Bill Essayli was unlawfully exercising the authority of the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California and disqualified him from participating in or supervising two criminal prosecutions. Essayli, a former Republican state lawmaker, has led the Los Angeles-based office under a series of Trump administration designations without Senate confirmation.

Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright concluded that Essayli was serving as a de facto U.S. attorney despite holding the formal titles of special attorney and first assistant U.S. attorney, according to accounts of the order from the Los Angeles Times, the Guardian and MyNewsLA. The ruling does not immediately remove Essayli from the office or bar him from all of its work.

What the order changes

Seabright barred Essayli from taking part in or supervising the prosecutions of Jaime Hector Ramirez and Tu Anh Tran once the order takes effect. Ramirez is accused of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Tran is accused of possessing property stolen from an interstate or foreign shipment. Lawyers in both cases had challenged Essayli’s authority.

The judge declined to dismiss either indictment. The defendants had not demonstrated the substantial prejudice required for that remedy, the Los Angeles Times and MyNewsLA reported. The prosecutions therefore remain pending even if other Justice Department officials must oversee them.

The disqualifications also were not set to take effect immediately. The court delayed them to give the government an opportunity to seek a full stay while it appeals. That distinction means the order creates a new limit on Essayli’s authority in the two cases, but it is not an immediate office-wide removal.

How the appointment dispute developed

Essayli became interim U.S. attorney in April 2025. He was not formally nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate. After the statutory period for the interim appointment ended, the Justice Department used acting, special-attorney and first-assistant designations that allowed him to continue leading the office.

Seabright had previously found that Essayli was not lawfully serving as acting U.S. attorney, while allowing him to exercise authority under the other titles. In Tuesday’s decision, however, the judge found that the department’s revised delegation still gave Essayli the broad supervisory powers of the U.S. attorney and did not resolve the underlying appointment problem.

The ruling followed a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejecting a similar arrangement involving Sigal Chattah, the Justice Department official leading the U.S. attorney’s office in Nevada. Seabright cited that appellate precedent when reconsidering the scope of Essayli’s delegated authority, the news reports said.

Justice Department plans an appeal

Essayli said he respectfully disagreed with the ruling and argued that the president and attorney general may select Justice Department supervisors. He said the temporary delay would preserve the status quo while the government seeks a longer stay and appeals. Essayli also said he expected the Supreme Court ultimately to decide the issue and that he intended to remain in his current role in the meantime.

Defense lawyer H. Dean Steward, who challenged Essayli’s authority, welcomed the decision as a victory for the Constitution and the rule of law. The next procedural question is whether Seabright or a higher court keeps the disqualifications on hold during the appeal. Unless and until the order expands or another court acts, its operative restriction remains tied to the Ramirez and Tran prosecutions.

Sources and image credit

• Los Angeles Times — Judge finds Essayli unlawfully serving and bars him from two cases
• The Guardian — Federal judge disqualifies Essayli from two prosecutions
• MyNewsLA — Judge rules Essayli unlawfully serving as Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor
• Image: Bill Essayli official headshot, Wikimedia Commons
• Original full-resolution image
• Image creator/source: California State Assembly

• Image license: California government work in the public domain