A federal judge in Southern California has disqualified acting US attorney Bill Essayli from several cases, citing that he stayed in the temporary job longer than allowed by law. US District Judge J Michael Seabright ruled that Essayli’s authority expired on July 29, 2025, and he is not qualified to perform the functions of Acting United States Attorney.
The decision marks another setback for the Trump administration’s effort to extend handpicked acting US attorneys beyond the 120-day limit set by federal law. A previous judge had disqualified Sigal Chattah as acting US attorney in Nevada, while another judge disqualified Alina Habba in New Jersey.
However, the same judge allowed Chattah to remain temporarily involved in cases after pausing an earlier ruling. An appellate court is also weighing an appeal from the US Department of Justice regarding Habba’s appointment. Essayli has not been confirmed by the Senate, a requirement for his job under federal law.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/oct/28/trump-us-attorney-essayli-disqualified