Federal judge rules Los Angeles chief prosecutor Bill Essayli is serving unlawfully

A federal judge ruled that Bill Essayli, the Trump administration’s top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, is unlawfully serving as the de facto U.S. attorney for the Central District of California.

U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright also removed Essayli from overseeing two criminal cases. The order requiring him to step aside will not take effect until the court decides the government’s request to pause the ruling during an appeal.

Essayli was appointed interim U.S. attorney in April 2025. After the 120-day limit for that temporary appointment expired in July, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi designated him acting U.S. attorney. Seabright concluded that Essayli’s authority as a temporary appointee had expired, though Essayli later remained in the office as first assistant U.S. attorney and continued acting as its top prosecutor without a permanent replacement.

Essayli said the president and attorney general have the authority to select Justice Department supervisors and predicted that the Supreme Court would ultimately decide the issue. He said he expected to remain in his current role while the legal dispute continues.

Other courts have also challenged the authority of temporary Trump administration prosecutors who served beyond statutory limits, including Alina Habba in New Jersey, John Sarcone in northern New York and Lindsey Halligan in eastern Virginia.