Judge Rules Bill Essayli Unlawfully Serving as Top Prosecutor

U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright ruled on October 28, 2026, that Bill Essayli is unlawfully serving as the de facto United States Attorney for the office in Los Angeles. The judge found that the Justice Department cannot grant the sweeping powers of a U.S. attorney to an official who has not been formally nominated by the president or confirmed by the Senate by simply designating them as a special attorney and first assistant.

Essayli, a former Republican state lawmaker, began serving as interim U.S. attorney in April 2025. To bypass standard confirmation processes, he later held acting and first assistant titles. Judge Seabright disqualified Essayli from supervising the criminal prosecutions of Jaime Hector Ramirez and Tu Anh Tran, citing a similar Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision regarding a prosecutorial arrangement in Nevada.

The ruling is automatically stayed to allow the United States Department of Justice to appeal, and the agency has five business days to request a stay of the disqualification order. Attorney General Todd Blanche had previously issued a revised designation to narrow Essayli's authority by withholding three specific powers.

Essayli continues to lead a Justice Department effort challenging the eligibility of over 20,000 registered voters in California. He maintains that the president and attorney general have the right to select supervisors and believes the Supreme Court of the United States will ultimately decide the matter, as the federal government has already appealed similar appointment disputes in Albany and Nevada.