Jay Christopher Zainey (born July 7, 1951) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Zainey was a member of the United States Air Force Reserve from 1970 to 1976.

During this time he received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Orleans in 1972 and a Juris Doctor from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 1975, and was a law clerk to a private practice in Louisiana from 1974 to 1975.

He was then an attorney in private practice in Louisiana from 1976 to 2002.

On October 10, 2001, Zainey was nominated by President George W. Bush to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana vacated by A. J. McNamara.