Attorney Biographies

Dennis E. Wagner Esq.

Managing Partner

Civil Liability Instructor
 

Dennis E. Wagner has been practicing law since 1981 and has extensive legal experience.  Prior to forming the firm of Wagner & Pelayes, LLP, he was a Deputy County Counsel for the County of San Bernardino for 10 years.  He has represented many of the County departments, department heads, and their employees during that time including the representation of the Sheriff’s Department, Superior Court for the County of San Bernardino and members of the Judicial Bench.  He has tried a number of cases and has appeared before the State Appellate Courts, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, and the California Supreme Court.

In 2006 he was appointed as Interim County Counsel for the County of San Bernardino and oversaw a staff of approximately 100 employees and a budget in excess of $9,000,000.  He was instrumental in providing leadership to the County Counsel Office during the time frame that a search was conducted for a permanent replacement for the Office.  

His work for public entities included the City of Riverside, City of Corona, and the County of Riverside among others.

Dennis is on the Board of Directors for the Inland Empire Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, which covers Riverside and San Bernardino counties for attorneys who regularly practice in federal court. 

He participates at seminars as a presenter on a wide range of topics, including appellate practice and governmental issues. 

He is an instructor at the San Bernardino Sheriffs Academy where he teaches Civil Liabilities to law enforcement officers and supervisors. 

Dennis has appeared on PBS radio and television to discuss various legal topics of interest to the general public.

Tristan G. Pelayes Esq.

Partner

Civil Liability Instructor

Tristan has been an attorney since 2000.

Before becoming an attorney, Tristan was a deputy sheriff for the County of San Bernardino for 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.

Prior to forming Wagner & Pelayes LLP, 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, and any other type of police litigation.

Tristan 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.

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 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.