California Supreme Court Disbars John Eastman Over 2020 Election Role

The California Supreme Court ordered attorney and former law school dean John Eastman disbarred Wednesday for his role aiding the Trump administration’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

The court’s decision affirmed a 2024 ruling from a state judge who had recommended Eastman be disbarred after finding he exhibited gross negligence by making false statements about the 2020 election without conducting any meaningful investigation or verification of the information he was relying upon.

The State Bar Court Review Department in July 2025 affirmed the findings of the State Bar Court Hearing Department’s March 2024 recommendation, which found Eastman culpable of 10 out of 11 charges for egregious and deceitful conduct and recommended his disbarment.

The California Supreme Court’s order disbarring John Charles Eastman from the practice of law in California underscores that attorneys must act with honesty and uphold the rule of law, regardless of the client they represent or the context in which that representation occurs.

Eastman, a former clerk of Clarence Thomas, was a key architect of the fake elector theory that Trump and allies tried to deploy to overturn the election results. Eastman and other Trump lawyers repeatedly made false claims of voter fraud to try to bolster their case.

The state supreme court denied Eastman’s request to review that decision on Thursday and said he was “disbarred from the practice of law in California” and ordered his name “stricken from the roll of attorneys”. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 to the state bar.

Eastman played a central role in the plot to overturn the 2020 election – pressuring state officials, advancing baseless claims in court, and promoting a fringe theory that the vice-president could reject certified electoral votes.