Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright ruled on October 27, 2026, that Bill Essayli is unlawfully serving as Los Angeles' top federal prosecutor, disqualifying him from supervising two criminal cases. The decision follows a 9th Circuit precedent regarding unconfirmed interim appointees. The judge paused the order for five business days to allow the Justice Department to seek a stay pending appeal, while Essayli stated he expects the Supreme Court to make the final determination.
Judge Seabright's ruling against Bill Essayli
- ▪Judge J. Michael Seabright ordered Bill Essayli disqualified from participating in or supervising two criminal prosecutions involving defendants Jaime Hector Ramirez and Tu Anh Tran
- ▪Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright ruled that Bill Essayli is unlawfully serving as a de facto U.S. attorney for the Central District of California
Bill Essayli's appointment without Senate confirmation
- ▪President Donald Trump had not nominated a Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney for the Central District of California as of the October 27, 2026 ruling
- ▪Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Bill Essayli as first assistant U.S. attorney and special attorney to maintain his leadership of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California without Senate confirmation
- ▪Bill Essayli was sworn in as interim U.S. attorney in April 2025, resigned near the 120-day statutory limit, and was reappointed as first assistant and special attorney
Arguments over revised delegation orders
- ▪Judge J. Michael Seabright concluded that Attorney General Todd Blanche's revised designation order for Bill Essayli did not materially distinguish his authority from the invalid Sigal Chattah appointment
- ▪Alexander Robbins argued on October 13, 2026, that a revised delegation by Attorney General Todd Blanche excluding three statutory powers placed Bill Essayli's authority within legal limits
Reactions to Judge Seabright's ruling
- ▪Defense attorney H. Dean Steward called Judge Seabright's October 27, 2026 ruling a victory for the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution
- ▪Bill Essayli stated that his office respectfully disagreed with Judge J. Michael Seabright's ruling and expressed confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court would ultimately decide the question of his appointment
Legal challenges to Sigal Chattah's appointment
- ▪The Trump administration petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review the 9th Circuit's August ruling regarding Sigal Chattah's appointment as acting U.S. attorney in Nevada
- ▪The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in August 2026 that Sigal Chattah was unlawfully appointed to lead federal prosecutions in Nevada without Senate confirmation
Similar findings against other federal prosecutors
- ▪A judicial finding in Virginia that Lindsey Halligan was unlawfully appointed led to the dismissal of indictments against James Comey and Letitia James
- ▪A federal judge ruled in January that John Sarcone was not lawfully serving as acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York
- ▪Alina Habba stepped down as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor in December after an appeals court determined her appointment was unlawful
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