About Judge Michelle I. Schauer
NOVEMBER 2021
Hon. Michelle I. Schauer is a Judge of the Westchester County Family Court. She is the Lead Judge for the Westchester County Court Improvement Project.
“I have had the privilege of working with the CASA program in Westchester County since 1999, when I was a Court Attorney Referee. I have had hundreds of cases with CASAs since then, so I can say with certainty that CASAs are an invaluable resource not only to the Court, but to all of the participants in the child welfare system. CASA’s thorough oversight, monitoring, and reporting is relied upon by all participants in the process and is oftentimes the impetus for positive - sometimes life-changing - differences in the lives of the children for whom they advocate. CASA enhances the ability of all of us in the child welfare system to work together towards the common goal of reversing the negative impact of child abuse and neglect and improving the lives of the children and families we serve. It is my privilege to partner with the CASA program and all of its extremely dedicated volunteers.”
As part of the Westchester County Court Improvement Project, Judge Schauer and her multi-disciplinary stakeholder partners established the Westchester County Early Childhood Permanency Part (“Baby Court”), over which Judge Schauer presides. Before being elected to Family Court, Judge Schauer was a Court Attorney Referee in that court’s Abuse and Neglect Permanency Planning Part. Prior to working in the Westchester County Family Court, Judge Schauer was Court Attorney to Honorable Albert M. Rosenblatt while he served in the Appellate Division Second Department and, later, in the Court of Appeals. She was also a Court Attorney in New York State Supreme Court and Westchester County Family Court, as well as a litigator in private practice.