Thomas P. Phelan at a glance
- Current role
- Justice
- Jurisdiction
- New York · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Thomas P. Phelan
Justice · Nassau County Supreme Court
Biography
Professional career
- Justice of the Nassau County Supreme Court in New York’s 10th Judicial District, serving from 1996 until his death in 2015
- law secretary for the Nassau County Court (1974–1984)
- After law school, Phelan served as an Assistant District Attorney in Nassau County for three years.
Education
- B.A. from Stony Brook University in 1967 and a J.D. from New York Law School in 1971
Additional information
- Re-elected, 2010 to 2023
- He joined the Nassau County District Court in 1991 and elected to the Supreme Court in 1996, later re‐elected in 2009.
- Phelan was active in local organizations, including the Kiwanis Club of Oceanside (President 1989–1990) and as a founding member of the Irish Monument Committee, which restored the Irish Monument in Mineola commemorating the 1916 Easter Uprising.
- In 1984, he entered private practice
- handling civil, criminal, and surrogate matters
- Current court assignment: Nassau County Supreme Court
- In his later career, he focused on guardianship cases involving incapacitated individuals, including the elderly
- Phelan was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Oceanside.
- He also served on the Public Employees Relations Board of the Town of Hempstead
- He received the President’s Award from the Irish Americans in Government and the Feis Committee Fellowship Award from the Nassau County Ancient Order of Hibernians
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 ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
22 NYCRR Part 200 — Uniform Rules Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction
Nassau 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
Nassau 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
Nassau 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
Nassau 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 27, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 27, 2026.
New York State Unified Court System official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 27, 2026
View New York State Unified Court System 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 ↗