TRISTAN PELAYES
Attorney At Law
Prior to forming the Law Offices of Pelayes & Yu, APC in November of 2019, Tristan Pelayes was an owner- partner at Wagner & Pelayes LLP for 15 years. Wagner & Pelayes LLP has represented the County of San Bernardino and other public and private entities since its inception in 2004.
Before becoming an attorney, Tristan was a deputy sheriff and detective for the County of San Bernardino for over fourteen years. His assignments included corrections, patrol, narcotics, SWAT, homicide, and the department’s civil liabilities division. He was also an investigator for the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office. He has approximately 30 years of combined law enforcement experience.
Prior to forming the Law Offices of Pelayes & Yu, APC in November of 2019, Tristan Pelayes was an owner-partner at Wagner & Pelayes LLP for 15 years. Wagner & Pelayes LLP has represented the County of San Bernardino and other public and private entities since its inception in 2004.
Tristan Pelayes was a Deputy County Counsel for the County of San Bernardino for four years. Due to his extensive law enforcement background, Tristan was assigned to the county’s litigation unit, representing the County of San Bernardino’s Sheriff’s Department and its deputies in all aspects of civil litigation. This included the defense of excessive force, wrongful arrest and wrongful prosecution allegations, officer-involved shootings, other types of police incidents and employment issues. Tristan has also represented other county departments such as the District Attorney’s Office and Probation Department against allegations of civil rights violations and other related state torts.
Prior to that, Tristan was an associate at Kinkle, Rodiger, and Spriggs in Riverside, focusing primarily on insurance defense. Tristan has extensive jury trial experience in both state and federal courts, having tried to verdict approximately 30 jury trials.
- Juris Doctor
California Southern Law School – Riverside, CA - Bachelor of Science in Laws
California Southern Law School – Riverside, CA - Associate of Science Pre-Law
Crafton Hills College – Yucaipa, CA
- Owner-Partner – Law Offices of Pelayes & Yu, APC
November 2019 to present
Responsible for handling the defense of public entities and employees and law enforcement unions. - Partner-Wagner & Pelayes, LLP
(September 2004 to November 2019)
Responsible for handling the defense of public entities and employees and insurance defense. - Deputy County Counsel for San Bernardino County
July 2000 to August 2004
Responsible for defending the County of San Bernardino, Board of Supervisors, Department Heads and individual departments, such as the District Attorney’s Office, Probation and Sheriff’s Department. - Attorney, Kinkle Rodiger and Spriggs
January 2000 to July 2000
Responsible for the defense of governmental entities and insurance civil cases. - Deputy Sheriff, County of San Bernardino
July 1988 to January 2018
Assignments included corrections, patrol, narcotics/SWAT, homicide and civil liabilities divisions.
- California State Bar
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal
- United States District Court, Central District of California Riverside Bar Association
- Inland Empire Federal Bar Association
- Inland Empire Latino Lawyers Association
- California School Boards Association 2011 – District of Columbia
- United States Supreme Court
- Seventh Circuit Court of Appeal
In 2001, the Inland Empire Latino Lawyers Association named Tristan the Latino Lawyer of the Year. He was also twice the recipient of the Wiley Manuel Award from the California State Bar for his pro bona work within the Inland Empire.
Tristan also represents individual law enforcement officers through their membership in the Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement unions. Lastly, Tristan is a US Army veteran and has previously served as a council member for the City of Adelanto.
Tristan is also a helicopter pilot after six months of intense specialized flight training.
SNAPSHOT
TRISTAN PELAYES
- Practicing law for 20+ years
- 31 Years as a peace officer
- Three degrees
- Speaks Spanish
TRISTAN PELAYES
Attorney At Law
Prior to forming the Law Offices of Pelayes & Yu, APC in November of 2019, Tristan Pelayes was an owner- partner at Wagner & Pelayes LLP for 15 years. Wagner & Pelayes LLP has represented the County of San Bernardino and other public and private entities since its inception in 2004.
Before becoming an attorney, Tristan was a deputy sheriff and detective for the County of San Bernardino for over fourteen years. His assignments included corrections, patrol, narcotics, SWAT, homicide, and the department’s civil liabilities division. He was also an investigator for the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office. He has approximately 30 years of combined law enforcement experience.
Prior to forming the Law Offices of Pelayes & Yu, APC in November of 2019, Tristan Pelayes was an owner-partner at Wagner & Pelayes LLP for 15 years. Wagner & Pelayes LLP has represented the County of San Bernardino and other public and private entities since its inception in 2004.
Tristan Pelayes was a Deputy County Counsel for the County of San Bernardino for four years. Due to his extensive law enforcement background, Tristan was assigned to the county’s litigation unit, representing the County of San Bernardino’s Sheriff’s Department and its deputies in all aspects of civil litigation. This included the defense of excessive force, wrongful arrest and wrongful prosecution allegations, officer-involved shootings, other types of police incidents and employment issues. Tristan has also represented other county departments such as the District Attorney’s Office and Probation Department against allegations of civil rights violations and other related state torts.
Prior to that, Tristan was an associate at Kinkle, Rodiger, and Spriggs in Riverside, focusing primarily on insurance defense. Tristan has extensive jury trial experience in both state and federal courts, having tried to verdict approximately 30 jury trials.
- Juris Doctor
California Southern Law School – Riverside, CA - Bachelor of Science in Laws
California Southern Law School – Riverside, CA - Associate of Science Pre-Law
Crafton Hills College – Yucaipa, CA
- Owner-Partner – Law Offices of Pelayes & Yu, APC
November 2019 to present
Responsible for handling the defense of public entities and employees and law enforcement unions. - Partner-Wagner & Pelayes, LLP
(September 2004 to November 2019)
Responsible for handling the defense of public entities and employees and insurance defense. - Deputy County Counsel for San Bernardino County
July 2000 to August 2004
Responsible for defending the County of San Bernardino, Board of Supervisors, Department Heads and individual departments, such as the District Attorney’s Office, Probation and Sheriff’s Department. - Attorney, Kinkle Rodiger and Spriggs
January 2000 to July 2000
Responsible for the defense of governmental entities and insurance civil cases. - Deputy Sheriff, County of San Bernardino
July 1988 to January 2018
Assignments included corrections, patrol, narcotics/SWAT, homicide and civil liabilities divisions.
- California State Bar
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal
- United States District Court, Central District of California Riverside Bar Association
- Inland Empire Federal Bar Association
- Inland Empire Latino Lawyers Association
- California School Boards Association 2011 – District of Columbia
- United States Supreme Court
- Seventh Circuit Court of Appeal
In 2001, the Inland Empire Latino Lawyers Association named Tristan the Latino Lawyer of the Year. He was also twice the recipient of the Wiley Manuel Award from the California State Bar for his pro bona work within the Inland Empire.
Tristan also represents individual law enforcement officers through their membership in the Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement unions. Lastly, Tristan is a US Army veteran and has previously served as a council member for the City of Adelanto.
Tristan is also a helicopter pilot after six months of intense specialized flight training.