Meet the 92-Year-Old Judge Overseeing the Maduro Trial in NYC

Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein, a 92-year-old Clinton-era appointee to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, is presiding over the unprecedented case against arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

With a long career overseeing landmark cases, Hellerstein is best known for managing the complex 9/11-related lawsuits filed by first responders and airlines.

In recent years, he has issued significant rulings involving the Trump administration, including blocking deportations under the Alien Enemies Act and twice refusing to move Trump’s hush money case to federal court.

Now, he will navigate the high-stakes legal proceedings after Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to federal charges in Manhattan, placing a veteran jurist at the center of a major international drama.