--- title: "Laura Alice Ward | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/laura-alice-ward-15149" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Laura Alice Ward New York County Supreme Court · Acting Justice ## Profile - Court: New York County Supreme Court - State: New York - Role: Acting Justice - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-06-30 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Acting Justice, New York Supreme Court, New York County, New York, NY, 2003-present - 2003–present: Acting Justice, New York County Supreme Court (Criminal Term), appointed by Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman - Laura A. Ward is an Acting Justice of the New York County Supreme Court (Criminal Term) in New York’s First Judicial District, with a career spanning law practice, federal and state prosecutorial roles, and judicial service since 1997 - Acting Justice, New York Supreme Court, New York County, New York, NY, 2000-2003 - Acting Justice, New York County Supreme Court, designated 2000 - Judge, The Criminal Court of the City of New York, New York, New York, NY, 1997-2000 - 1997–2000: Judge, Criminal Court of the City of New York (appointed by Mayor Rudy Giuliani) - Judge, New York City Criminal Court, appointed 1997 by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani - Adjunct professor, Fordham Law School, 1995-1997 - Assistant United States Attorney, Eastern District United States Attorney's Office, NY, 1989-1997 - Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of New York, 1989-1997 - Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Investor Protection and Securities Bureau, New York State Attorney General's Office, NY, 1988-1989 - In 1988, she joined the New York State Office of the Attorney General as an assistant attorney general in charge of the Investor Protection and Securities Bureau - Special Attorney, Organized Crime and Labor Racketeering Section, Brooklyn Strike Force, United States Department of Justice, NY, 1983-1988 - Special Attorney / Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice Organized Crime and Labor Racketeering Section, Brooklyn Strike Force, 1983-1988 - After law school, Ward began as a litigation associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom from 1978 to 1983. - The following year, she became an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, a role she held until her judicial appointment - Three years later, she was designated to the New York County Supreme Court by Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman - In addition to her judicial duties, Ward has taught as an adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Law ### Education - Fordham University School of Law — J.D. (1978) - Vassar College — B.A. (1975) ### Additional information - Most recently certificated for a term beginning 2025 and ending 2030. - Initially appointed to the Criminal Court of the City of New York in New York County by Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1997. - adj-prof, Fordham University, NY, 1995-1997 - Practitioner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, 1978-1983 - Research Assistant, Fordham University, New York, NY, 1977-1978 - Judge Laura A. Ward presides over criminal cases in the Supreme Court of New York County, having served on the bench for 7 years. - Her academic background laid the foundation for a distinguished career in both public service and private practice - She has also held the role of vice president of the Criminal Court Judges Association and chaired the Anti-Bias Committee of the Criminal Court of New York ## 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://www.courtlistener.com/person/15149/laura-alice-ward/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15149/laura-alice-ward/) - [New York Supreme Court, New York County current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15149/laura-alice-ward/) - [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) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15149/laura-alice-ward/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/laura-alice-ward-15149", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/laura-alice-ward-15149", "name": "Laura Alice Ward | KnowJudges", "description": "Laura Alice Ward, New York County Supreme Court. 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[Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-200-uniform-rules-courts-exercising-criminal-jurisdiction). Collected 2026-10-27. - [22 NYCRR Part 202 — Uniform Civil Rules Supreme Court And County Court](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/ny-shared-set-bf1c7eb9020e52eed65d) — Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable. [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-202-uniform-civil-rules-supreme-court-and-county-court). Collected 2026-10-27. - [New York County Supreme Court, Civil Branch — Rules of the Justices](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/ny-shared-set-d3c269bb7fe692b08197) — Civil Branch proceedings in New York County Supreme Court only; not criminal proceedings. Preserve source version and check later judge/part instructions. [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/courts/1jd/supctmanh/Uniform_Rules.pdf). 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.