--- title: "Bernard C. Cheng | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/bernard-c-cheng" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Bernard C. Cheng Suffolk County District Court · District Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Suffolk County District Court - State: New York - Role: District Court Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge on the Suffolk County District Court in New York’s 10th Judicial District, serving a six‐year term elected in 2021 and running from 2022 to 2027 - Judge, Family Court, Suffolk County, Elected, 2011 to 2020 - Suffolk County Court, Riverhead, Principal Law Clerk, 2003 to 2010 - Current position: District Court Judge, Suffolk County, NY ### Education - Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center — J.D. ### Additional information - A petition has called for his recall, disbarment, and prosecution, alleging gross negligence in a 2020 child death case involving Thomas Valva. - Legal Aid Society, Family Court and Law Guardian Bureaus, Attorney - Suffolk Family Court, Assistant County Attorney - B.A. — SUNY at Stony Brook ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### recording and photography Scope: statewide New York statewide rules require permission before photographing, filming, videotaping, audiotaping, broadcasting, or telecasting in court facilities, including courtrooms. Evidence excerpt: Taking photographs, films or videotapes, or audiotaping, broadcasting or telecasting, in a courthouse including any courtroom, office or hallway thereof, at any time or on any occasion, whether or not the court is in session, is forbidden, unless permission of the Chief Administrator of the Courts or a designee of the Chief Administrator is first obtained [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### evidence presentation control Scope: statewide The official Guide to New York Evidence identifies court control over presentation of evidence as a statewide evidence topic; counsel should expect the assigned judge to control the mode and order of proof. Evidence excerpt: 1.07. COURT CONTROL OVER PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE [Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role](https://www.nycourts.gov/judges/evidence/1-GENERAL/1-generalprovisions.shtml) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=mk/A7iv/UIs7WgBbhDQWfA%3D%3D) - [Official roster](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=mk/A7iv/UIs7WgBbhDQWfA%3D%3D) - [New York State Unified Court System Judicial Directory official judicial roster](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=mk/A7iv/UIs7WgBbhDQWfA%3D%3D) - [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true) - [Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role](https://www.nycourts.gov/judges/evidence/1-GENERAL/1-generalprovisions.shtml) - [Judicial Directory: Hon. Bernard Cheng](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=mk/A7iv/UIs7WgBbhDQWfA%3D%3D) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/bernard-c-cheng", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/bernard-c-cheng", "name": "Bernard C. Cheng | KnowJudges", "description": "Bernard C. Cheng, Suffolk County District Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-08-02", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/bernard-c-cheng#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/bernard-c-cheng#judge", "name": "Bernard C. Cheng", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/bernard-c-cheng", "jobTitle": "District Court Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "Suffolk County District Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=mk/A7iv/UIs7WgBbhDQWfA%3D%3D" ], "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "SUNY at Stony Brook" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "New York", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/new-york" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bernard C. Cheng", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/bernard-c-cheng" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [22 NYCRR Part 200 — Uniform Rules Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/ny-shared-set-5e0f997e8c334d15fbc4) — State criminal proceedings only; section-specific court and case exceptions remain applicable. [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-200-uniform-rules-courts-exercising-criminal-jurisdiction). Collected 2026-10-27. - [22 NYCRR Part 212 — Uniform Civil Rules District Courts](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/ny-shared-set-b75fc650606800a2d179) — Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable. [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-212-uniform-civil-rules-district-courts). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-99a7824bb8e009643f842c03) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true). Collected 2026-07-26. - [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-34fe480ab82f22fa3c31d257) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true). Collected 2026-07-26.