--- title: "Sylvia A. Cabana | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sylvia-a-cabana" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Sylvia A. Cabana Nassau County Family Court · Family Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Nassau County Family Court - State: New York - Role: Family 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 - Family Court Judge, Family Court, Nassau County, Elected, 2023 to 2032 - Nassau County Family Court judge serving a term from 2023 to 2032 - Registered to run for Family Court Judge in Nassau County in the November 3, 2026 General Election. ### Education - Hofstra University — J.D. (1992) - Columbia University — 1989 ### Additional information - In March 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul appointed her to the Nassau Interim Finance Authority board, making her one of the first women on that board since its creation in 2000 - As of February 2026, Judge Cabana presides over family cases in the Family Court of Nassau County, New York. - Elected Hempstead Town Clerk in 2017 (in a Republican-controlled town) but lost re‐election in 2019. - lists her professional background and legal expertise - provides her judicial metrics and career snapshot - handling family cases in New York’s Long Island judicial system - Before becoming a judge, Cabana had a 20+ year career in immigration and family law in Garden City, NY. - The Nassau Bar Association has been involved in screening judicial candidates, and Cabana’s appointment was part of a broader judicial reshuffle in Long Island ## 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. Sylvia A. Cabana](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=/KykCm7P5fhL6x5EHFORnQ%3D%3D) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sylvia-a-cabana", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sylvia-a-cabana", "name": "Sylvia A. Cabana | KnowJudges", "description": "Sylvia A. Cabana, Nassau County Family 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/sylvia-a-cabana#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sylvia-a-cabana#judge", "name": "Sylvia A. Cabana", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sylvia-a-cabana", "jobTitle": "Family Court Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "Nassau County Family Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/JudicialDirectory" ], "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Columbia University" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Hofstra University" } ] }, { "@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": "Sylvia A. Cabana", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sylvia-a-cabana" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [22 NYCRR Part 205 — Uniform Rules Family Court](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/ny-shared-set-df42937f9fd0e92b8072) — Family Court proceedings [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-205-uniform-rules-family-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.