The California Supreme Court disbarred attorney John Charles Eastman today. This after 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 ordered Thursday that Los Angeles attorney Aaron Spolin (SBN 310379) be disbarred and his name stricken from the roll of attorneys, the Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) announced.
The State Bar of California is seeking to inform former State Bar licensees that through December, they can settle their State Bar debt by paying half of the balance they owe through the Fresh Start Settlement Program. The one-year program is an offer and compromise opportunity for current and former State Bar attorneys. To participate, applicants must request a settlement through an online platform, and any approved settlement must be paid in full by December 31, 2025.
The State Bar of California recently published new findings showing measurable progress in reducing racial disparities in the attorney discipline system, building on key recommendations from a 2019 study: “Discrepancies by Race and Gender in Attorney Discipline by the State Bar of California: An Empirical Analysis.”
The State Bar Court’s Review Department today affirmed a March 2024 decision recommending disbarment of attorney John Eastman for his misconduct related to the 2020 presidential election.
At its February 20-21 meeting, the Board of Trustees heard a presentation on a new State Bar study showing that racial disparities in attorney discipline outcomes are narrowing, particularly for Black attorneys, following reforms implemented by the State Bar in response to the groundbreaking 2019 Farkas study.
At its November 14 meeting, the State Bar of California’s Board of Trustees approved a proposed rule change that would automatically expunge nondisbarment attorney discipline records after eight years, assuming no further discipline has since occurred. The rule change now goes to the California Supreme Court for review and approval.
At its meeting on May 16, the State Bar of California’s Board of Trustees approved a plan to automatically expunge nondisbarment attorney discipline records after eight years, assuming no further discipline has since occurred.
In a 128-page ruling, California State Bar Court Hearing Judge Yvette D. Roland found licensee John Charles Eastman (SBN 193726) culpable of 10 of the disciplinary charges filed by the State Bar’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) and recommended that he be disbarred. Absent a challenge, the recommendation goes to the California Supreme Court for review.
The State Bar of California today released reports from an independent investigation into whether former Chair of the Board of Trustees Sean SeLegue had a disqualifying conflict of interest arising out of his involvement with a 2010 discipline case against since disbarred attorney Thomas V. Girardi. The investigation found that Mr. SeLegue did not have a disqualifying conflict of interest and that neither he nor other State Bar leaders engaged in misconduct. The reports, which have been redacted on a limited basis as required by law, are being shared in keeping with the State Bar’s commitment to transparency.
