--- title: "Deborah S. Kearns | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/deborah-s-kearns" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Deborah S. Kearns Albany County Surrogate's Court · Surrogate ## Profile - Court: Albany County Surrogate's Court - State: New York - Role: Surrogate - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - The current Administrative Judge of the Albany County Surrogate’s Court in New York, serving a term from 2025 to 2034 - Judge Albany Surrogate's Court Elected January 2025 to Present - Albany Law School of Union University Professor / Adjunct Professor 2008 to Present - Albany County Surrogate's Court Chief Clerk 2015 to 2024 ### Education - Tax New York University — LL.M. (2005) - Albany Law School of Union University — J.D. (2000) - Siena College — B.S. (1991) ### Additional information - West, a Thomson Reuters Business Commentator 2015 to Present - She has been involved in court administration and legal services, and was active in the 2024 judicial election campaign for the Surrogate’s Court - Private Practice Attorney 2000 to 2008 - Before becoming a judge, Kearns was a registered attorney with the New York State Unified Court System, employed by the Albany County Surrogate’s Court. - Judge Kearns presides over probate cases in the Surrogate’s Court of Albany County, which handles matters such as wills, estates, guardianships, and adoptions. - Prior role: held the role of Chief Clerk of the Albany County Surrogate’s Court before her judicial appointment ## 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/JudicialDirectory) - [Official roster](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/JudicialDirectory) - [New York State Unified Court System Judicial Directory official judicial roster](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/JudicialDirectory) - [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. Deborah S. Kearns](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=p1DrOIlS7iOmz3zWx6e/3Q%3D%3D) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/deborah-s-kearns", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/deborah-s-kearns", "name": "Deborah S. Kearns | KnowJudges", "description": "Deborah S. Kearns, Albany County Surrogate's 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/deborah-s-kearns#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/deborah-s-kearns#judge", "name": "Deborah S. 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Kearns", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/deborah-s-kearns" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [22 NYCRR Part 207 — Uniform Rules Surrogates Court](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/ny-shared-set-760d2f4782807d6f93a2) — Surrogate's Court proceedings [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-207-uniform-rules-surrogates-court). 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.