Attorney Biographies

Tristan has been an attorney since 2000. Prior to forming Wagner & Pelayes LLP, Tristan Pelayes was a Deputy County Counsel for the County of San Bernardino for over four years. Due to his extensive law enforcement background, Tristan was assigned to the county's litigation unit, primarily 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, and any other type of police misconduct. 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. Before that, Tristan was an associate at Kinkle, Rodiger, and Spriggs in Riverside, focusing primarily on insurance defense. Tristan has extensive jury trial experience in state and federal courts.

Before becoming an attorney, Tristan was a deputy sheriff 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.

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 bono work within the Inland Empire.

Tristan was a council member and the mayor of the City of Adelanto from 2000 to 2003, where he was instrumental in replacing the troubled police department with contract services from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Tristan has extensive expertise in all aspects of governmental issues at State, County and City levels. He served on several boards at the county level. Tristan enlisted in the United States Army in 1984 and received an Honorable Discharge in 1987.

Tristan is an instructor at the San Bernardino Sheriffs Academy and teaches Civil Liabilities to law enforcement officers and supervisors. He has appeared on various radio and television programs to discuss general legal topics.