Phillip Talbert sworn in as U.S. Attorney for Sacramento’s Eastern District of California

Phillip A. Talbert was sworn in Thursday as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, a post he held on an interim basis twice before being nominated in April by President Joe Biden.

Talbert, who was sworn in by Chief U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller, was confirmed to the post by the U.S. Senate last month and will oversee an office that has more than 90 lawyers with jurisdiction stretching from the Oregon state line to Kern County.

Talbert has worked in the U.S. Attorney’s office in Sacramento since 2002, when he began prosecuting drug trafficking cases, and has won praise from area prosecutors for his work.

He stepped in as interim U.S. Attorney in February 2021 after McGregor Scott, who had been appointed by former President Donald Trump, left the post following Biden’s victory. Scott had endorsed Talbert to replace him.

Talbert also had previously served in an interim basis in 2016 and 2017.