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1h ago

Judge Disqualifies L.A. Acting U.S. Attorney After Ruling He Served Unlawfully

The decision preserves the indictments, leaving his status limited to first assistant.

Bilal A. "Bill" Essayli, United States Attorney for the Central District of California, speaks during a press conference at the FBI Los Angeles Field Office Federal Building, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 11, 2025. REUTERS/Aude Guerrucci
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli gestures as Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell (R) looks on at a press conference announcing an arrest in the Palisades Fire investigation on October 08, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
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Overview

  • U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright found Bill Essayli unlawfully assumed the acting role after resigning from his interim post on July 29 to reset the succession scheme.
  • The court barred him from supervising three prosecutions, with CBS reporting the cases involve gun charges.
  • Seabright declined to dismiss the indictments and said Essayli may continue performing duties as First Assistant U.S. Attorney.
  • The ruling tracks similar findings against Alina Habba in New Jersey and Sigal Chattah in Nevada, with parts of those decisions on hold during appeals.
  • Essayli was appointed interim chief in April under a 120-day limit, and the administration later used title changes and a “special attorney” designation to extend his control without Senate confirmation.