Shannon M. Heneghan at a glance
- Current role
- Supreme Court Justice
- Jurisdiction
- New York · State
- Judicial service
- Active
- Term and retention
- Current term ends 2038
Shannon M. Heneghan
Supreme Court Justice · Erie County Supreme Court
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Biography
Professional career
- Justice Supreme Court Elected 2026 to 2039
- Judge Buffalo City Court Elected 2019 to 2025
- Judge Buffalo City Court Appointed 2018 to 2019
- Judge on the Buffalo City Court in New York’s 8th Judicial District, serving in Erie County
- Special Assignments: Presiding judge for the Opioid Intervention Court and the Adolescent Diversion Program
Education
- University of Buffalo Law School — J.D. (1998)
- B.A. — State University of Buffalo College at Buffalo — 1995
Additional information
- In April 2024, Judge Heneghan presided over a case where a teen defendant pleaded guilty to Assault in the Third Degree and was sentenced to a one‐year conditional discharge with an apology letter.
- She is a member of the New York State Bar Association, Bar Association of Erie County, Women’s Bar Association of Western New York, and Western New York Trial Lawyers Association
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
New York statewide rules require permission before photographing, filming, videotaping, audiotaping, broadcasting, or telecasting in court facilities, including courtrooms.
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 obtainedPart 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings ↗
Exhibits
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.
1.07. COURT CONTROL OVER PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCEGuide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role ↗
Statewide
In New York Supreme Court and County Court civil cases, the court may require indexed trial exhibit binders, notebooks, or electronic equivalents for the court, counsel, and witnesses.
The court may direct that on the first day of trial or at such other time as the court may set, counsel shall submit an indexed binder or notebook, or the electronic equivalent, of trial exhibits for the court's use.Part 202: Uniform Civil Rules for the Supreme Court and the County Court ↗
Statewide
Civil trial counsel in New York Supreme Court and County Court must confer before trial and attempt to agree on exhibits to be offered without objection, unless the court directs otherwise.
Counsel for the parties shall consult prior to trial and shall in good faith attempt to agree upon the exhibits that will be offered into evidence without objection.Part 202: Uniform Civil Rules for the Supreme Court and the County Court ↗
Remote appearances
Statewide
For Commercial Division matters, New York rules encourage Virtual Evidence Courtrooms for managing and presenting trial evidence after authorization by request or court direction.
Virtual Evidence Courtrooms (VECs) may be used to facilitate real-time access to trial exhibits and other relevant documents.Part 202.70 Commercial Division Rules: Virtual Evidence Courtrooms and Trial Exhibits ↗
Statewide
For New York criminal proceedings, virtual and hybrid appearances are governed by Part 200 consent, objection, public-access, and calendar-update requirements.
For all hybrid proceedings, all electronic appearances shall be projected in the physical courtroom in which the in-person portion of the proceeding is taking place in such a manner as to provide a reasonable opportunity for members of the public to view and hear the participants appearing electronically.Part 200: Uniform Rules for Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction ↗
Published courtroom rules
Judge and named-part rules
Published judge / part rules (16 excerpts)
See document heading and cited passage; do not apply outside the issuing part or proceeding.
Official rules document ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27
Communications with chambers
Justice Heneghan values respect for all who come before the Court and appreciates your candor, courtesy toward our staff, and commitment to fair play with one another. If you need assistance with any matter before the Court, please do not hesitate to contact Chambers.
Source page 1Conferences and appearances
• Preliminary Conference: When an RJI is filed requesting a preliminary conference, it will be automatically scheduled by the court. At least seven (7) days prior to the preliminary conference, counsel shall provide the Court and all other counsel with a one (1) page summary of the case which should be submitted by email to Reina Termini (rtermini@nycourts.gov).
Source page 1Conferences and appearances
• Counsel1 should be prepared to leave each conference with a scheduled date for the next conference.
Source page 1Communications with chambers
• If attention is needed in the interim, counsel may request a conference be scheduled by submitting a request to Reina Termini. Please do not file letter requests for additional conferences on NYSCEF; instead, chambers must be contacted directly.
Source page 1Adjournments
Adjournments are generally granted upon the parties’ agreement. Counsel should be aware that the Court maintains a liberal adjournment policy. If a party does not provide consent, counsel must nonetheless confer and propose mutually agreeable alternative dates to the Court. Please note, adjournment requests should be made by email to rtermini@nycourts.gov and Boconnel@nycourts.gov; please do not file letter requests for adjournments on NYSCEF and do not send emails to Judge Heneghan Virtual (judgeheneghanvirtual@nycourts.gov) which is used solely for calendaring remote appearances and is not a monitored email box.
Source page 1Motion practice
• Counsel is expected to appear and argue motions in person unless previously arranged with the Court or otherwise noticed to counsel by the court. If your home office is not near here, you should make arrangements to be present or secure local counsel.
Source page 2Communications with chambers
• Paper copies are not necessary unless specifically requested (see NYSCEF remarks/notes). When requested they should be mailed or hand delivered. The Court will not accept papers by fax.
Source page 2Motion practice
• Those wishing to discuss the scheduling of a motion should contact Court Clerk, Amy Jackson.
Source page 2Motion practice
• All motion papers including any reply must be received by the Court not later than 5:00pm on the Thursday prior to the Motion return date. Counsel should schedule to account for this altered time frame.
Source page 2Discovery
• Consultation: Counsel is expected to consult concerning discovery disputes (see 22 NYCRR 202.2(b)). A good faith letter is not considered sufficient, and counsel should make every effort to speak directly concerning the matters in dispute.
Source page 2Motion practice
• Pre-motion Conference: A conference with the Court’s law clerk should be scheduled prior to filing any discovery motion. Request a conference by emailing Reina Termini and Bridget O’Connell and copy opposing counsel. Provide in that email a brief description of the dispute and the attempts made to resolve the matter through consultation amongst counsel. The non-requesting party or parties may provide a brief email response identifying any additional issues.
Source page 2Filing and working copies
Defaults will be scheduled to be done on submission unless circumstances dictate otherwise. Page2 Rules as of September 2026
Source page 2Motion practice
Actions premised upon a revenue purchase/future receivables or similar agreement shall be scheduled for a conference prior to the filing of any motion. Contact Reina Termini to schedule a conference. Conferences will be held virtually on the morning of the third Wednesday of the month. Motions will be scheduled to occur on a motion date after this conference.
Source page 3Filing and working copies
It is important to the Court that matters are addressed promptly, and the prevailing party shall endeavor to submit an order within 14 days of any decision or directive by uploading to NYSCEF with verification that the order has been reviewed by opposing counsel (or self-represented litigants) and no objection has been received. Orders may not be signed without that verification
Source page 3Conferences and appearances
• The Court draws your attention to the Rules of the Chief Administrative Judge, 22 NYCRR Part 160, and encourages all parties to consider early dispute resolution interventions as part of their case plan. Such interventions may include court-sponsored or private mediation, arbitration, and settlement conferences.
Source page 3Communications with chambers
• Use of the Violante in-house ADR Program requires completion of an Attorney Affirmation, which must be submitted to chambers who will forward it to the ADR Program along with an Order of Referral. This affirmation is not required for the Catastrophic Loss Program. Counsel should remain familiar with the Eighth Judicial District Martin P. Violante Alternative Dispute Resolution (MPV ADR) Protocols.
Source page 3Shared court rules
22 NYCRR Part 200 — Uniform Rules Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction
Erie County Supreme Court
State criminal proceedings only; section-specific court and case exceptions remain applicable.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-2722 NYCRR Part 202 — Uniform Civil Rules Supreme Court And County Court
Erie County Supreme Court
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings
Erie County Supreme Court
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 ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings
Erie County Supreme Court
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 ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
New York State Unified Court System Judicial Directory official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View New York State Unified Court System Judicial Directory official judicial roster ↗Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings ↗Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role ↗Part 202: Uniform Civil Rules for the Supreme Court and the County Court
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Part 202: Uniform Civil Rules for the Supreme Court and the County Court ↗Part 202.70 Commercial Division Rules: Virtual Evidence Courtrooms and Trial Exhibits
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Part 202.70 Commercial Division Rules: Virtual Evidence Courtrooms and Trial Exhibits ↗Part 200: Uniform Rules for Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Part 200: Uniform Rules for Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction ↗