Michelle I. Schauer at a glance
- Current role
- Supreme Court Justice
- Jurisdiction
- New York · State
- Judicial service
- Active
- Term and retention
- Current term ends 2028
Michelle I. Schauer
Supreme Court Justice · Westchester County Supreme Court
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Biography
Professional career
- Acting Supreme Court Justice, Family Court, Westchester County, Designated by Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence K. Marks, 2022 to Present
- Associate Justice of the Westchester County Family Court in White Plains, NY, serving until the end of 2030, and is based at 111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Judge, Family Court, Westchester County, Elected, 2011 to 2020
- NYS Unified Court System, Family Court, Westchester County, Court Attorney Referee, 1999 to 2010
- NYS Unified Court System, New York State Court of Appeals, Court Attorney, 1999
- NYS Unified Court System, Appellate Division Second Department, Court Attorney, 1989 to 1999
Education
- New York Law School — J.D. (1984)
Additional information
- Reelected, 2021 to 2028
- Current position: Associate Justice (Judge) of the Westchester County Family Court
- Official sources list her among the current judges of the Westchester Family Court
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
New York statewide rules require permission before photographing, filming, videotaping, audiotaping, broadcasting, or telecasting in court facilities, including courtrooms.
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 obtainedPart 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings ↗
Exhibits
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.
1.07. COURT CONTROL OVER PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCEGuide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role ↗
Statewide
In New York Supreme Court and County Court civil cases, the court may require indexed trial exhibit binders, notebooks, or electronic equivalents for the court, counsel, and witnesses.
The court may direct that on the first day of trial or at such other time as the court may set, counsel shall submit an indexed binder or notebook, or the electronic equivalent, of trial exhibits for the court's use.Part 202: Uniform Civil Rules for the Supreme Court and the County Court ↗
Statewide
Civil trial counsel in New York Supreme Court and County Court must confer before trial and attempt to agree on exhibits to be offered without objection, unless the court directs otherwise.
Counsel for the parties shall consult prior to trial and shall in good faith attempt to agree upon the exhibits that will be offered into evidence without objection.Part 202: Uniform Civil Rules for the Supreme Court and the County Court ↗
Remote appearances
Statewide
For Commercial Division matters, New York rules encourage Virtual Evidence Courtrooms for managing and presenting trial evidence after authorization by request or court direction.
Virtual Evidence Courtrooms (VECs) may be used to facilitate real-time access to trial exhibits and other relevant documents.Part 202.70 Commercial Division Rules: Virtual Evidence Courtrooms and Trial Exhibits ↗
Statewide
For New York criminal proceedings, virtual and hybrid appearances are governed by Part 200 consent, objection, public-access, and calendar-update requirements.
For all hybrid proceedings, all electronic appearances shall be projected in the physical courtroom in which the in-person portion of the proceeding is taking place in such a manner as to provide a reasonable opportunity for members of the public to view and hear the participants appearing electronically.Part 200: Uniform Rules for Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction ↗
Published courtroom rules
Judge and named-part rules
Published judge / part rules (28 excerpts)
See document heading and cited passage; do not apply outside the issuing part or proceeding.
Official rules document ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27
Communications with chambers
All communication with this Court must be in writing and filed with the Clerk’s Office in accordance with above. Such correspondence must also be copied to all counsel, including the Attorney for the Child, and any self-represented parties. Any communication sent to the Court without being copied to all counsel, including the Attorney for the Child and any self-represented parties, will be returned to the sender.
Source page 2Communications with chambers
Any correspondence sent to the Court must include a family unit number (FU) and an e-mail address, telephone number, and street address of the sender (unless there is a court order of confidentiality as to the sender).
Source page 2Communications with chambers
No one should be copying this Part on correspondence between counsel and/or self- represented parties. Please note that this Part does not entertain litigation by email. Any attempt to do so will result in the correspondence going unaddressed.
Source page 2Adjournments
All adjournments must be approved by the Court even when the parties and counsel have consented to the adjournment. Adjournment requests must be made in writing and filed with the Clerk’s Office in accordance with the above.
Source page 2Adjournments
Counsel must also copy their respective clients on the adjournment request, so their client is made aware of such request and the reason why.
Source page 2Adjournments
Absent exigent circumstances, adjournment requests shall be made at least three business days in advance of the scheduled date and must indicate the reason for the adjournment and whether the request is on consent of all counsel and/or parties.
Source page 2Adjournments
Adjournment requests made upon consent of all parties and counsel must include at least three future dates that are acceptable to all. Adjournment requests due to attorney engagement in another court must be made pursuant to 22 NYCRR § 125.1.
Source page 2Adjournments
If an adjournment request is granted, the requesting party must notify all interested parties, including the Attorney for the Child and any self-represented parties of the adjourned date. If there is no response from the Court regarding an adjournment request, assume that it has been denied and that you must appear.
Source page 2Adjournments
A respondent or respondent's counsel requesting an adjournment of a preliminary proceeding must acknowledge service, waive any defects in service, and follow the above procedure for scheduling a court appearance, which will then be for a conference.
Source page 3Conferences and appearances
As for Attorneys for Children, in the event of an excusable absence you may submit your client's position in writing, as well as future availability dates (which should be for at least two months after the court date) to all counsel and self-represented parties. If an AFC gets an attorney to cover an appearance, that attorney should be fully familiar with the case and have full authority to enter into any agreement, substantive or procedural, on behalf of the client. The AFC of record is responsible for following up to get the next court date.
Source page 3Filing and working copies
All Orders to Show Cause must be filed with the Clerk's Office or through NYSCEF, in accordance with the above.
Source page 3Motion practice
If an Order to Show Cause requests temporary relief, counsel must comply with the provisions of 22 NYCRR § 202.7(f) and notify the opposing counsel/party that he or she has 24 hours to respond via letter to the Court to the request for temporary relief, unless counsel provides an affirmation alleging that there would be significant prejudice suffered by complying with this requirement, or if the Order to Show Cause seeks an order of protection via temporary restraining order. If counsel has complied with this provision, the Order to Show Cause must clearly specify such, either in a separate affirmation or an accompanying letter to the Court. Failure to comply with this section will result in all temporary relief being struck; however, compliance with this section does not ensure that temporary relief will be granted. If a requested order has specific urgency, counsel should make the Clerk’s Office aware of the issue. If a proposed Order to Show Cause contains
Source page 3Communications with chambers
a request for a temporary order of protection or other emergency ex parte relief, counsel should advise the Clerk’s Office upon filing and should be prepared, with his or her client, for a hearing at such time as the Court directs.
Source page 4Motion practice
Motions must be filed with the Clerk's Office in White Plains or through NYSCEF in accordance with the above.
Source page 4Motion practice
Ordinarily, an appearance on a motion is not required. Counsel shall not choose the return date of the motion and shall leave the return date blank. The Court, in its discretion, may schedule an appearance on the motion and, if it does so, will notify the parties of the appearance date and time.
Source page 4Motion practice
SIJS Motions, Proposed Orders, Letters of Guardianship and other related legal documents must be filed with the Clerk's Office in White Plains or directly through NYSCEF in accordance with the above. Each document must be filed as a separate document or attachment and not together as one filing.
Source page 4Motion practice
Unless there is a consent to all relief requested, all documents in a guardianship or custody proceeding in which Special Immigrant Juvenile Status findings are requested must be personally served upon the respondent and must include a translation of those documents into the respondent’s native language. The Affidavit of Service must indicate that the respondent was served with all documents relating to the guardianship/custody petition, including the SIJS motion and that the documents served were translated into the respondent’s native language. A copy of the translated documents must be included with the Affidavit of Service.
Source page 4Communications with chambers
If a party requires the services of a non-Spanish speaking interpreter, counsel should notify the Court as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Please make an effort to notify the Court at least two weeks before the interpreter is needed. Attorneys may submit an order for an interpreter to assist them in communicating with their clients outside of court.
Source page 6Conferences and appearances
When a matter is scheduled for trial, parties should appear ready to proceed with the trial at the scheduled time. Trial time may not be used for settlement discussion, which should be completed prior to the date of trial. If counsel or a self-represented party is not ready to proceed on the date of trial, the matter may be dismissed.
Source page 6Motion practice
Motions In Limine: Counsel shall advise the court in writing of any issues of which they are aware in advance of trial, which may require a ruling by the court during trial.
Source page 6Trial exhibits and witnesses
Exhibits: Before trial begins, counsel shall provide the court and other counsel or self- represented parties with a list of exhibits. Counsel shall pre-mark all exhibits before trial. With respect to any court documents of which counsel is requesting that judicial notice be taken, counsel shall provide a separate list of those documents to the court and other counsel or self-represented parties.
Source page 6Trial exhibits and witnesses
Evaluations: Parties requesting mental health/forensic evaluations should agree upon the evaluator and to the report being admitted into evidence at trial subject to cross- examination. If the parties cannot agree, they shall each submit the name of the evaluator they propose, and the court will choose the evaluator from those suggested. The evaluator should be from the Directory of Mental Health Professionals on the Appellate Division, Second Department website. Any party wishing to cross-examine the forensic evaluator shall bear the cost unless otherwise ordered by the Court or agreed upon between the parties in writing.
Source page 6Discovery
The reports of any court-approved evaluator (or other expert) are not to be provided to the litigants but may be provided to counsel upon their filing of a Non-Disclosure Affidavit. Litigants are permitted to review reports under the supervision of their attorneys but may not make any reproductions of the report in full or part. Self-represented parties may review reports in the Clerk's Office in White Plains.
Source page 6Filing and working copies
Subpoenaed Documents: Subpoenas Duces Tecum shall be filed with the Clerk's Office in White Plains or directly through NYSCEF in accordance with the above. Subpoenas Duces Tecum shall be made returnable to court with as much time as possible before the fact-finding date, but in any event at least three days before the first day of trial. Counsel shall review subpoenaed documents before the date of trial. Trial time will not be allotted for counsel to review such documents.
Source page 6Conferences and appearances
Please notify the Court immediately if a case is settled. Stipulations of Settlement must contain complete voir dire language and all parties and counsel, including the Attorney for the Child, must sign the Stipulation indicating approval as to form and content.
Source page 7Conferences and appearances
Please note that an order is to memorialize a settlement placed on the record during a court proceeding. A stipulation of settlement is to memorialize an agreement reached between the parties outside of a court proceeding. Stipulations should not be submitted to the Court as orders on consent.
Source page 7Conferences and appearances
Article 10 Settlements: The Court will not accept a consent finding (Family Court Act § 1051[a]) on the day of fact finding. If the parties agree to a consent finding, they shall notify the Court before the fact-finding date. Otherwise, any settlement made on the day of fact finding shall be by admission only.
Source page 7Conferences and appearances
If an attorney is directed to prepare a final order, notice of settlement shall be a maximum of two weeks, unless otherwise ordered.
Source page 7Shared court rules
22 NYCRR Part 200 — Uniform Rules Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction
Westchester County Supreme Court
State criminal proceedings only; section-specific court and case exceptions remain applicable.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-2722 NYCRR Part 202 — Uniform Civil Rules Supreme Court And County Court
Westchester County Supreme Court
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings
Westchester County Supreme Court
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 ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings
Westchester County Supreme Court
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 ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
New York State Unified Court System Judicial Directory official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View New York State Unified Court System Judicial Directory official judicial roster ↗Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings ↗Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role ↗Part 202: Uniform Civil Rules for the Supreme Court and the County Court
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Part 202: Uniform Civil Rules for the Supreme Court and the County Court ↗Part 202.70 Commercial Division Rules: Virtual Evidence Courtrooms and Trial Exhibits
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Part 202.70 Commercial Division Rules: Virtual Evidence Courtrooms and Trial Exhibits ↗Part 200: Uniform Rules for Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Part 200: Uniform Rules for Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction ↗