Federal Bench: Alvin K. Hellerstein Dies at 92

Alvin K. Hellerstein, a federal judge in Manhattan who managed some of the most prominent legal battles of the last two decades, has died. He was 92 years old. Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain confirmed the death on Wednesday morning, stating that Hellerstein was surrounded by family at the time. His funeral is set for Thursday at Riverside Memorial Chapel in Manhattan.

Hellerstein continued to work right up until his final days. Two weeks before he died, he presided over the arraignment of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The couple faces torture charges added to their existing narco-terrorism conspiracy case. Maduro was captured in a U.S. military raid in Caracas in January. During the recent proceedings, Maduro twice refused to enter a plea as requested by the court. Hellerstein stepped in to ensure the process moved forward, stating that a not guilty plea would be entered on behalf of Maduro.

The judge also managed the bail hearing for Flores on October 8. During that session, Hellerstein coughed and struggled to speak at times. He told lawyers he had a voice problem but that he would keep going as long as they could understand him. Despite his health issues, he remained committed to overseeing their trial, which is scheduled for next June. Judge Analisa Torres will now take over the case.

Hellerstein was also deeply involved in the legal disputes surrounding President Donald Trump. In August, he issued a ruling that kept Trump's hush money conviction intact. The judge rejected Trump's bid to move the state court case to federal court to dismiss it based on presidential immunity. Hellerstein noted that paying $130,000 to adult film actor Stormy Daniels was not an official act of the presidency. This was the third time he had denied Trump's request to move the case.

In 2020, Hellerstein freed Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, from prison. The judge ruled that the Justice Department's decision to revoke Cohen's home confinement was retaliatory and violated the First Amendment. Cohen had been trying to publish a book and speak to the media at the time.

Hellerstein's legacy is closely tied to the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. He oversaw dozens of wrongful death and injury lawsuits that lasted for twenty years. He was known for meeting with victims' families in his chambers and rejecting settlement offers he considered too low. In March 2010, he rejected a settlement worth at least $575 million for people who fell ill from toxic ash. He explained that most settlements are private, but this case was different because of its scale and impact.

The judge handled other high-profile matters as well. In 2025, a jury in his courtroom ordered French bank BNP Paribas to pay nearly $21 million related to the Sudanese government's access to U.S. financial systems. He also presided over the trials of Charlie Javice and Bill Hwang, both convicted of fraud in recent years. Known for his strict courtroom discipline, Hellerstein required spectators to wear masks for years after other judges dropped the requirement.

Hellerstein was a New York native and a Columbia Law School graduate. He served as a first lieutenant in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps before becoming a litigator in Manhattan. President Bill Clinton appointed him to the federal bench in 1998. He moved to senior status in 2011 but maintained a heavy caseload until his death.