U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, 92, who displays the Torah verse Tzedek, tzedek tirdof in his Manhattan chambers, vowed to ensure a fair trial for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism charges. An Orthodox Jew on the federal bench for nearly 30 years, Hellerstein often schedules Friday sentencing hearings to reflect during Shabbat and has said his faith shapes his judicial approach. He has issued several notable rulings against former President Donald Trump, including ordering Michael Cohen's 2020 release and denying a venue transfer in Trump's 2023 New York case.
92-Year-Old Judge Alvin Hellerstein Invokes Torah Ethic While Pledging Fair Trial in Maduro Case
FILE PHOTO: U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein presides at the Manhattan Federal Court in New York City, U.S. June 27, 2023 in a courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg/File Photo
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, 92, who presides over the federal case involving Venezuela's ousted leader, keeps a Hebrew scripture from the Torah prominently displayed in his Manhattan chambers: Tzedek, tzedek tirdof — justice, justice you shall pursue. At the opening of Monday's hearing, Hellerstein emphasized his primary aim: to ensure a fair trial for former President Nicolas Maduro, who pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism charges.
Judicial Philosophy and Faith
An Orthodox Jew who has served on the federal bench for nearly three decades, Hellerstein has been candid about how his faith informs his work. He told a 2020 podcast that he often schedules sentencing hearings on Fridays so he can spend Shabbat — the Jewish sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall — reflecting on whether a sentence he imposed was just and appropriate. "That's my job, and that's my intent," he said at the hearing.
Tzedek, tzedek tirdof — Justice, justice you shall pursue.
Notable Rulings and Public Stances
Hellerstein has a record of high-profile decisions and outspoken courtroom comments. In 2013 he rejected a $675 million settlement for 9/11 first responders as inadequate; the settlement was later revised to add $125 million for victims after his intervention. Hellerstein has also criticized lawyers when he believes they are not serving their clients' best interests.
He has ruled against President Donald Trump on several significant matters. In 2020, Hellerstein ordered the release of former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen after the Justice Department sought to revoke Cohen's home confinement; Hellerstein concluded the move was retaliatory. In 2023, he denied Trump's request to move a New York state criminal case related to a hush-money payment to federal court. In May 2025, he blocked a Trump administration effort to use a wartime statute to send alleged gang members to Venezuela, citing due-process concerns and saying, "This is the United States of America. People are being thrown out of the country because of their tattoos."
Background
Hellerstein was nominated to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton in 1998 after a long legal career. He served in the Judge Advocate General's Corps from 1957 to 1960 and then practiced for many years at the firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. Colleagues describe him as a judge with strong convictions who seeks to harmonize law and a personal understanding of justice.
What This Means for the Maduro Case
Hellerstein's repeated emphasis on fairness and his public statements about faith and reflection signal a judge focused on due process and measured sentencing. As the Maduro case proceeds, observers say his courtroom practices and past rulings offer context for how he approaches complex, politically sensitive matters.
Reporting by Jan Wolfe; editing by Noeleen Walder and Howard Goller.
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