Lawsuit says federal judge hosted underage drinking party

A federal judge was sued in Los Angeles County Superior Court in connection with a party at his house in which there allegedly was underage drinking and a guest was assaulted.

The complaint filed by attorney James J. Orland attributes his client's "brutal and severe beating" to "ineffective protection and the underage drinking" during a party that the lawsuit claims U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi hosted in his home.

Scarsi did not respond to an emailed request for comment and the name of his counsel. His clerk did not respond to emailed and telephone requests for comment.

The lawsuit said a fight broke out between heavily intoxicated minors who were coming out of Scarsi's home. The plaintiff, Alex Wilson, claims Jackson Dorlarque struck him from behind and Wilson then fell, striking his head and body on a curb. Wilson claims his injuries were so severe that he had to be hospitalized for over two weeks. He allegedly sustained closed-head trauma, orthopedic injury, and a major facial laceration which will require reconstructive surgery.

The lawsuit claims negligence and premises liability against Scarsi and his wife. The plaintiff also claims assault and battery against Dorlarque and his parents.

"Had defendant Scarsi adequately staffed the premises with security personnel or properly supervised the guests and not allowed alcohol to be served or consumed by underage minors on their property, they would have been able to control Jackson before he severely injured the plaintiff effectively," Orland wrote in the complaint. Wilson v. Scarsi, et al., 24NNCV06486 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Dec. 12, 2024).

Scarsi was appointed in 2020 by President Donald Trump and was affirmed by the Senate 83-12. He worked as a software engineer and received a Master of Science degree in computer science before attending Georgetown University Law Center, from where he graduated in 1996. He focused on intellectual property for most of his legal career, spent at Christie, Parker & Hale (now part of Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie); O'Melveny & Myers; and Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy.