Judge declares Bill Essayli's role in Central District of California unlawful

A federal judge ruled on October 27 that Bill Essayli does not legally hold his position as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. The decision by Judge Michael Seabright invalidates the tenure of the Republican prosecutor in the largest federal judicial district in the United States.

Seabright ordered that Essayli cannot participate in or supervise the legal teams handling two specific criminal cases. The judge also granted the federal government five business days to file a motion to stay the order while an appeal is processed. In his written decision, Seabright stated that Essayli is acting as a de facto federal prosecutor and is legally barred from overseeing the proceedings against defendants Jaime Hector Ramirez and Tu Anh Tran.

Ramirez faces charges for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Tran is accused of possessing stolen goods from interstate or international shipments. Seabright refused to dismiss these two indictments, keeping the cases active despite the dispute over Essayli's authority.

This ruling mirrors a decision issued last year when Essayli served as interim U.S. Attorney. At that time, the court allowed him to remain as first deputy U.S. Attorney after Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed him to lead the office in the absence of a chief prosecutor. The current conflict centers on the sequence of his appointments.

Appeals courts have ruled in similar cases since 2025 involving the Trump administration's appointment strategy. In those instances, prosecutors John Sarcone in Albany and Sigal Chattah in Nevada were found to have been named illegally. The courts determined that they did not hold the position of first deputy U.S. Attorney when the chief prosecutor role became vacant, a procedural step required for their promotion.

The Trump administration appealed both the Sarcone and Chattah cases to the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this month. Essayli's office issued a statement noting that it respectfully disagrees with Seabright's order. The office indicated that the matter will follow a similar path to the Supreme Court.

Essayli stated that the president and the attorney general have the right to select supervisors within the Department of Justice. He expressed his intention to continue serving in his current role until the Supreme Court makes a final determination on the issue.

Essayli was sworn in as interim U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California in April 2025. He previously served in the California State Assembly. The district covers seven counties including Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo, a region with nearly 20 million residents.