Judge Helena Heath-Roland was appointed Albany City Court Judge on April 22, 2005 to fill a vacancy on that Court and became the first female of African descent to serve in this position in the City of Albany’s 319 year history. She was then elected on November 8, 2005 to a full term of office. Judge Heath-Roland is primarily assigned to the Civil and Traffic Parts of City Court where she presides over trials and proceedings, including small claims and landlord/tenant cases. She also handles arraignments and other criminal matters in the Criminal Part of City Court.

Judge Heath-Roland graduated from New York University School of Law in 1987 where she was awarded the prestigious Root-Tilden-Snow Scholarship based upon her academic excellence and her commitment to public service. During law school, she pursued her interest in becoming a public service attorney by working for the Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Division, and volunteering to assist at risk youth secure summer employment.

Judge Heath-Roland has 22 years of public service legal experience. Before getting on the bench, she served as a Court Attorney at the New York Court of Appeals, the highest level court in the State, an Assistant Attorney General in the litigation bureau of the New York State Department of Law, an Assistant Counsel to the New York State Department of Economic Development, and a Senior Counsel for the New York State Assembly Speaker.

Judge Heath-Roland is currently the Co-Chair of the Diversity and Gender Fairness Committee of the Capital District Women’s Bar Association and Co-Chair of the Youth and Law Committee of the Capital District Black and Hispanic Bar Association. She has coordinated programs for the past eleven years with Albany Law School to expose female and minority law students to a variety of career paths, share keys to becoming a successful lawyer, and explore how female and minority attorneys can overcome gender and racial barriers in the legal profession.

Judge Heath-Roland serves as Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Albany County Family Court Children’s Center to ensure that children are cared for in a safe and nurturing environment while their families take care of court business. She is also a mentor to young students participating in the Albany NAACP’s Rosa Parks Literacy Education Academy reading and writing program.

Judge Heath-Roland is married to Albany native Baryon Roland. Their son Christopher is a 2009 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business.