Who Is Alvin Hellerstein, 92-Year-Old Judge Hearing Maduro's Case In New York

The U.S strike on Venezuela followed with the arrest of the former Venezuelan leader, Nicolas Maduro.

Now his case will be heard by Alvin Hellerstein, a 92-year-old American judge. It has sparked a question about the working of American judges at an older age.

The intervention of Judge Hellerstein in the Maduro case gives clarity on how the US judicial system works and why age is not a crucial factor for judges to step down.

Who is Alvin Hellerstein?

The appointment of Judge Hellerstein to the federal bench took place in 1998. He gained fame for hearing complex cases, which included the September 11 attacks, involving victims and families. 

He has attended several cases, including those related to insurance, while serving as a federal judge for nearly 30 years. 

Throughout his judicial career, Hellerstein earned respect for his commitment to justice and legal reasoning.

Hellerstein was well-known for his handling of complex legal matters with a balanced approach. He studied law at Columbia Law School.

During his tenure, he has presided over cases including the September 11, Sudanese genocide claims, and legal cases against American President Donald Trump.

After decades, he will once again hear an important case involving a foreign leader. Before Maduro, he had presided over similar matters linked to the Venezuelan President's alleged close links.

Two years ago in April, Hellerstein had Cliver Alcal, a retired Venezuelan army general, imprisoned for more than 21 years.

In February 2023, he sentenced the former intelligence chief, Hugo Carvajal.

Why Age Is Not a Barrier For the Judges in the United States?

In most countries, it is rare to see a judge in his 90s presiding over high-profile cases. In the case of America, it is fairly common.

Under the US Constitution, federal judges, including the Supreme Court justices, are granted lifetime tenure.

The reason behind this is to allow judges to have their independence and not fall prey to political pressure.

Also, there is no mention of their fixed retirement age. This means judges can work as long as they find themselves mentally and physically fit.

Judges are removed only through impeachment or misconduct. Hence, many of them remain in service for decades.

Based on Americans’ longevity, judges stay in their judicial service for a maximum of 40 years.

According to studies, the average age of a federal judge is 69, which means it's not easy to force them to retire.

Judges finding excess workload intolerable have the option of ‘Senior Status’ when turning 65. It is granted depending on their 15 years of experience.

In this case, they do get full payment with less pressure of handling cases. It allows the appointment of new judges while experienced ones remain in their service.

Case Studies of Judges' Extension Period

When we talk about the extension period of judges' retirement., it is usually the Supreme Court judges who face public pressure for it.

Citing two big examples of judges who served with extended time, including Justice Ruth Ginsburg. 

Despite facing serious health issues, she continued her judicial service. At the age of 87, she passed away in office in 2020.

The second case is of Judge Pauline Newman. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit extended her suspension period in August last year.

She, 98, at that time, faced suspension for refusing the order to undergo neurological tests during an inquiry that was meant to examine her ability to serve.

Newman did challenge the court decision, but eventually lost the case.

For more news updates, log on to Flypped English News.