Paul E. Hennings
How Judge Hennings rules, drawn from 9 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Hennings
Paul E. Hennings is a justice of the New York Supreme Court in Suffolk County, where he serves in the Commercial Division. He previously served as a Suffolk County District Court judge and was elected to the Supreme Court in 2024.
Judge Hennings's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Hennings, as published on the court's website (checked October 11, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
Key rules
Filing
The court does not want working copies in electronically filed cases.
“In electronically filed cases, the Court does not require or desire working copies.”
Motions
Commercial cases require a pre-motion conference before submitting a motion before the Note of Issue.
“Before submitting a pre-Note of Issue motion on actions assigned to this Court, movant shall arrange and schedule a conference with the Court, notify all parties to the action in advance, and prepare to articulate the issues and efforts toward resolution. No pre-Note of Issue motion may be submitted in the absence of the pre-motion conference, which may be had via TEAMS.”
Conferences
Email motion or conference adjournment requests to the court, stating consent and copying all parties.
“Adjournment requests on motions or conferences shall be made by email to the Court. Indicate if all parties consent; all parties must be CC’d on the email.”
How Judge Hennings decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In People v. Oyakhilome, Hennings granted a speedy-trial dismissal. The Appellate Term reversed because he had counted as chargeable a 65-day period when the defendant lacked counsel through no fault of the court.
“the 65 days from November 25, 2020 to January 29, 2021 should have been excluded as time during which ‘the defendant [was] without counsel through no fault of the court’”
In American Transit Insurance Co. v. Cadet, Hennings found that the plaintiff had failed to provide ordered discovery despite attempts to obtain it. He conditionally granted the defendant's dismissal motion, allowing the plaintiff 30 days to produce the discovery.
“Any good faith attempts to obtain the discovery have failed. If the plaintiff fails to comply with this order, such numerous failures by the plaintiff to comply with discovery demands and orders, it can be inferred that the action is willful and contumacious”
Procedural preferences
In American Transit Insurance Co. v. Cadet, Hennings conditionally granted dismissal for discovery noncompliance: the plaintiff had 30 days after the order was uploaded to provide the demanded material.
“the motion ... is granted, unless the plaintiff provides the discovery demanded within 30 days after the uploading of this order”
Cautions
His speedy-trial exclusion analysis was reversed on appeal for miscounting a period during which the defendant was between attorneys as chargeable to the People rather than excludable: litigants should not assume every gap in representation counts against the prosecution's readiness clock.
“Contrary to the District Court's analysis of the issue, the 65 days from November 25, 2020 to January 29, 2021 should have been excluded”
In JDJ Gateway v. Kelly, the Appellate Term affirmed Hennings's small-claims judgment. It deferred to his opportunity to assess witness credibility at trial, explaining that such deference carries particular weight in the Small Claims Part.
“a trial court's opportunity to observe and evaluate the testimony and demeanor of the witnesses affords it a better perspective from which to assess their credibility ... This deference applies with greater force to judgments rendered in the Small Claims Part of the court”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The order granted defendant's motion to dismiss the accusatory instrument on statutory speedy trial grounds.”
“Appeal from a judgment of the District Court of Suffolk County, Fourth District (Paul E. Hennings, J.), entered August 13, 2024. The judgment, insofar as appealed from and as limited by the brief, after a nonjury trial, awarded plaintiff the principal sum of $1,490 as against defendant John Di Iorio ... Accordingly, the judgment, insofar as appealed from, is affirmed.”
“As limited by his brief, Di Iorio appeals from so much of a judgment of the District Court (Paul E. Hennings, J.) entered August 13, 2024, after a nonjury trial, as ... dismissed so much of a counterclaim for loss of personal property as was interposed by him.”
“ORDERED that the motion of the Advanced Orthopaedics, PLLC to dismiss for failure to comply with discovery demands is granted, unless the plaintiff provides the discovery demanded within 30 days after the uploading of this order, and it is further ORDERED if the plaintiff fails to comply, the moving defendant is directed to settle an order granting the motion and dismissing the action against it.”
“ORDERED that the motion by defendant Jonathan Mautschke for summary judgment dismissing the complaint and all cross-claims against him is granted”
“the motion by defendant Wallace W. Klughers, II, d/b/a Quality Sheetrocking & Construction, for summary judgment dismissing the complaint and all cross-claims against him is granted to the extent that it seeks dismissal of plaintiffs first cause of action and Jonathan Mautschke' s cross-claims, and is otherwise denied”
“the motion by plaintiff for partial summary judgment in his favor on his Labor Law § 240 ( 1) claim is denied.”
“plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment pursuant to Labor Law§ 240( I) is granted and denied as to §241(6).”
“summary judgment dismissing the complaint against them is denied:”
“against third-party defendant Network Adjusters, Inc. is denied; and it is”
“judgment on its counterclaim is denied; and it is”
“summary judgment dismissing all claims against it is granted; and it is further”
“judgment dismissing the complaint against it is denied.”
“The order granted the plaintiff's motion for summary judgment on the issue of liability”
“motion for summary judgment is granted.”
“ORDERED that the unopposed petition, pursuant to CPLR 7510, timely seeking Confirmation of the Master Arbitration Award of Toby Susan DeSimone, Esq. (‘DeSimone’) rendered on 04/27/2023, and mailed on 05/01/2023 (‘delivery date’), is GRANTED”
“ORDERED that the unopposed petition for an order awarding additional attorney fees for post arbitration proceedings, is GRANTED.”
Draft for Judge Hennings with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Hennings, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Grounded in Judge Hennings's own signed orders
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
- Chat, drafting and research in one workspace