--- title: "Zainab Chaudhry | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/zainab-chaudhry" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Zainab Chaudhry Albany County Court of Claims · Court of Claims Judge ## Profile - Court: Albany County Court of Claims - State: New York - Role: Court of Claims Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, New York State Court of Claims, Albany County, Appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul, 2022 to 2027 - Judge Zainab A. Chaudhry is a New York State Court of Claims judge appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul on June 3, 2022, becoming the first Muslim judge ever appointed to that court - NYS Unified Court System, New York State Court of Appeals, Principal Court Attorney, 2019 to 2022 - New York State Office of the Attorney General, Assistant Solicitor General, 2007 to 2019 - NYS Unified Court System, New York State Court of Appeals, Principal Law Clerk, The Honorable Richard C. Wesley, Former Associate Judge, 2000 to 2002 - NYS Unified Court System, New York State Court of Appeals, Senior Court Attorney, Central Legal Research Staff, 1998 to 2000 ### Education - Albany Law School — J.D. (1998) - Union College — B.S. (1993) ### Additional information - Law clerk at the New York State Court of Appeals, including service with Judge Richard C. Wesley - Judge Zainab A. Chaudhry is a prominent New York jurist known for her trailblazing role in state judiciary diversity. - Her appointment is widely regarded as historic for representation of Muslim and South Asian Americans in the New York judiciary ## 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 ### courtroom technology Scope: courtwide The New York Court of Claims publishes courtroom evidence-presentation technology, including document/photo/object/video presentation and laptop connections in specified courtrooms. Evidence excerpt: With minimal effort, attorneys can present documents, color photos, objects, videos, and use electronic presentations to bring details to the court. [Court of Claims Courtroom Technology](https://www.nycourts.gov/courts/court-claims/courtroom-technology) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### 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/Bio?judge_id=il6ai3Cmyz24YB3y85567Q%3D%3D) - [Official roster](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=il6ai3Cmyz24YB3y85567Q%3D%3D) - [New York State Unified Court System Judicial Directory official judicial roster](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=il6ai3Cmyz24YB3y85567Q%3D%3D) - [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) - [Court of Claims Courtroom Technology](https://www.nycourts.gov/courts/court-claims/courtroom-technology) - [Judicial Directory: Hon. Zainab A. Chaudhry](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=il6ai3Cmyz24YB3y85567Q%3D%3D) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/zainab-chaudhry", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/zainab-chaudhry", "name": "Zainab Chaudhry | KnowJudges", "description": "Zainab Chaudhry, Albany County Court of Claims. 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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.