California Supreme Court Upholds John Eastman's Disbarment in 2020 Election Case

The California Supreme Court ordered John Eastman disbarred on Wednesday, upholding a 2024 ruling from a state judge recommending the loss of his law license over his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. The court also ordered Eastman's name stricken from the state roll of attorneys and required him to pay $5,000 to the California State Bar.

A judge wrote in 2024 that Eastman exhibited gross negligence by making false statements about the 2020 election without conducting any meaningful investigation or verification.

Eastman developed a legal strategy to have then-Vice President Mike Pence interfere with the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory, including writing a memo outlining a plan for Pence to reject legitimate electoral votes during the January 6 joint session of Congress.

A spokesperson for the State Bar stated that the decision follows clear evidence that Eastman advanced false claims to mislead courts, public officials, and the American public. The spokesperson added that the court’s order underscores that Eastman’s misconduct was incompatible with the standards of integrity required of every California attorney.

Eastman served as a former attorney for President Trump and helped engineer a strategy to overturn the 2020 election results. He also served as dean of Chapman University law school from 2007 to 2010 and retired as a professor there in 2021 after faculty members signed a letter calling for action against him.

Eastman’s attorney stated the ruling raises constitutional concerns and departs from long-standing United States Supreme Court precedent protecting First Amendment rights, especially in the attorney discipline context. In related developments, Trump pardoned Eastman and others accused of backing efforts to overturn the 2020 election earlier that month.

However, the pardon applies only to federal crimes and does not affect state disciplinary actions such as this disbarment. The case against Trump and 18 allies accusing them of conspiring to overturn the Republican loss in Georgia was dismissed in November.