John Eastman Disbarred Over Trump’s 2020 Election Strategy

The California Supreme Court ordered the disbarment of attorney John Eastman on April 15, 2026, stripping him of his license to practice law in the state. The court’s decision to strike Eastman’s name from the state roll of attorneys follows his role in attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 United States presidential election in favor of Donald Trump.

The ruling concludes a yearslong effort by the State Bar of California to remove Eastman’s legal credentials. In 2024, a judge for the State Bar Court of California recommended that Eastman lose his license. During those proceedings, Eastman argued that he was being penalized for providing legal advice.

George Cardona, the chief trial counsel for the State Bar of California, stated on April 15, 2026, that the decision was based on evidence that Eastman advanced false claims about the 2020 presidential election to mislead courts, public officials, and the American public.

The Court’s order underscores that Mr. Eastman’s misconduct was incompatible with the standards of integrity required of every California attorney

George Cardona, chief trial counsel for the State Bar of California

Legal Strategy to Block Certification

Eastman served as a central figure in the strategy to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the Electoral College. He developed a legal theory suggesting that then-Vice President Mike Pence possessed the constitutional authority to unilaterally reject electoral votes from key battleground states.

On January 5, 2021, Eastman communicated this theory to Pence, arguing that the Vice President could block the certification process. Pence did not accept the argument.

Eastman also targeted members of the U.S. Senate. He sent a six-point plan of action to Republican Senator Mike Lee, which proposed that Pence throw out electors from seven states to keep Donald Trump in power. Senator Lee rejected the plan.

In the weeks following the 2020 election, Eastman drafted several memos that outlined the plan to block Congress from certifying the results. These documents formed the basis of the effort to subvert the democratic election process.

January 6 and Professional Consequences

On January 6, 2021, Eastman spoke at a White House rally for Donald Trump that preceded the attack on the United States Capitol. Following the controversy surrounding his speech and his role in the election challenges, Eastman retired from the faculty of Chapman University School of Law one week later.

While the California Supreme Court has permanently ended his legal career in that state, Eastman faces additional professional penalties. He is currently suspended from practicing law in Washington, D.C., where disciplinary proceedings related to his post-election conduct remain ongoing.

Professional Background

John Charles Eastman, born in 1960 in Lincoln, Nebraska, has a background as both a lawyer and an academic. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Dallas, a PhD from Claremont Graduate School, and a JD from the University of Chicago.

Eastman previously served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. In academia, he was a professor and dean at the Chapman University School of Law. He is also the founding director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, a public-interest law firm associated with the conservative think tank known as the Claremont Institute.

Eastman has a history of seeking public office as a Republican. He ran for California’s 34th congressional district in 1990 and for the position of California Attorney General in 2010, though he was unsuccessful in both bids.