Sigal Chattah was unlawfully appointed as Nevada's top federal law enforcement officer, a federal appeals court ruled Monday, the latest legal defeat for the Trump administration's efforts to install political allies as U.S. attorneys without congressional approval.

In a unanimous ruling Monday, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said Chattah's continued leadership of the office violated federal law. It upheld a lower court's ruling, which allowed her to stay pending appeal.

The Trump administration can appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. It has not done so in other states where it suffered similar legal defeats.

The ruling means that Chattah — a prominent Nevada conservative who previously served as the state's Republican National Committeewoman — can no longer oversee federal prosecutions in Nevada. 

In her tenure, she has reportedly sought to investigate a political adversary and benefit allies and pushed the FBI to investigate claims of noncitizens voting in the 2020 election. Her office has also secured indictments on charges related to fraud, embezzlement, weapons and more.

Chattah did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

The White House in February nominated Las Vegas lawyer George Kelesis to assume the role on a permanent basis. The state's U.S senators — who have considerable sway in approving his nomination — have met with him, and Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) is still reviewing his nomination, her office said. Kelesis has donated to members of both major political parties.

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The ruling comes about 18 months after President Donald Trump first appointed Chattah as Nevada's interim U.S. attorney, which comes with a 180-day term. The day before that term expired, Chattah was appointed as first assistant U.S. attorney — a position that Attorney General Pam Bondi said allowed her to serve as acting U.S. attorney for 210 days. That second term was supposed to end in February, but Chattah was allowed to stay longer while Kelesis went through the Senate's confirmation process.

In September, the Nevada federal public defender's office sued to disqualify Chattah, arguing that the Trump administration pursued a series of illegal personnel maneuvers to keep her atop Nevada's federal judiciary. 

The appeals court determined the same.

It said Chattah's latest appointment violated federal law on filling government vacancies, because she never held that position under a lawfully appointed U.S. attorney.

"These cases present the question whether the Attorney General can make someone an Acting United States Attorney — bypassing the usual requirement that a U.S. Attorney be confirmed by the Senate—by designating that person as the first assistant to an already-vacant office of U.S. Attorney," judges wrote in the ruling.  "We hold that the Attorney General cannot do so."

The Trump administration has suffered similar legal defeats in several other states, including New Jersey, Virginia and California. 

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of several people who were indicted under Chattah's tenure. The lower court ruled she could not oversee these prosecutions, but declined to dismiss those cases altogether. 

The appeals court agreed. It said Chattah could not supervise these cases, but it ruled it did not have jurisdiction to weigh in on whether the cases can be nullified altogether.

Updated on 8/17/26 at 3:51 p.m. to include information from Rosen's office.