The case against Maduro is being led by a 92-year-old judge with a reputation for being stubborn and independent.

A 92-year-old federal judge will preside over the extraordinary criminal case against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He is known for his tough stance and often unconventional approach to trials. Politico tells in more detail.

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein was appointed under President Bill Clinton.

He works in Manhattan and chaired the arraignment of Maduro on January 5. Hellerstein is expected to preside over the trial of the former Venezuelan leader.

"He's very committed to doing the right thing. He just has his own sense of what that right thing is," said one former federal prosecutor.

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Another former prosecutor described the judge even more harshly and asked not to be named in order to speak frankly about the judge before whom he may yet have to appear.

"He's just old-school, old-school, and does things his own way. And he doesn't care what anyone thinks of him," the former prosecutor said.

Hellerstein was born in the Bronx and graduated from Columbia Law School. He is known for his special affection for all things related to his home borough.

"Any event or activity in the Bronx, he's immediately involved," said one of the lawyers who appeared before him.

Decisions against Donald Trump

Hellerstein has previously ruled against President Donald Trump or his administration in other high-profile cases, including one involving alleged hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

The judge twice rejected Trump's attempts to move the case to federal court. Just two months ago, an appeals court overturned one of those decisions.

Last May, Hellerstein issued a sweeping ruling blocking the Trump administration's deportation of immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act. This ruling effectively halted such deportations in the Southern District of New York, where the judge serves.

Age and work style

Hellerstein's age is likely to raise questions. However, the lawyers interviewed have no doubts about his professional suitability. Some, however, note that he has long demonstrated an independence bordering on stubbornness.

Hellerstein sometimes deviates from standard court protocol, including calling prosecutors directly.

"He called me when I was a junior prosecutor and said, 'I received this motion. I have a few questions,'" one former prosecutor recalled.

Control over the process and attitude towards lawyers

According to lawyers, the judge can tightly control—and sometimes overly detail—the lawyers' work in the courtroom. He demands a fast pace of proceedings.

"Hellerstein loves trials. He can get impatient during cross-examinations," noted Carrie Cohen, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan. "He likes to move the trial forward. He's very careful to keep the jury entertained."

Legal experts note that Hellerstein often imposes harsher sentences than other judges on defendants who cooperate with investigators. He sometimes displays hesitation when handing down sentences in criminal cases, pondering them for a long time, and even revising decisions already made.

Why the case ended up with Hellerstein

Hellerstein ended up with the Maduro case because, back in 2011, he was assigned to handle the charges against one of Maduro's co-defendants.

Maduro himself was added to this criminal case in 2020.

The charges against Maduro could take a long time to resolve. Hellerstein already has experience working on high-profile cases that dragged on for years.

He presided over more than 10,000 lawsuits filed by first responders and families of first responders who participated in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

In 2010, a judge angered lawyers for both sides when he rejected a proposed settlement of between $575,000,000 and $657,000,000. After his objections, the settlement was increased by approximately $50,000,000, and Hellerstein approved the settlement.

Not just serious matters

Not all high-profile trials presided over by Hellerstein involved tragic themes. According to lawyers, he took particular interest in the appearance of hotel heiress and reality TV star Paris Hilton in his courtroom in 2012.

She was involved in a lawsuit over royalties for a lingerie line she was supposed to develop. As in many other cases, Hellerstein insisted on a settlement.

The parties came to him about a month later.

historical precedent

The closest precedent for the Maduro case is considered to be the trial of former Panamanian President Manuel Noriega, who was captured by US forces in 1990.

More than 20 months passed between Noriega's arrest and the start of his jury trial. The trial itself lasted seven months and resulted in a guilty verdict on eight counts related to drug trafficking and organized crime.

Noriega was initially sentenced to 40 years in prison. This was later reduced first to 30, and then to 17 years.