Introduction

Westchester County Family Court, long known for its tight-knit legal circles and questionable practices, has once again demonstrated why trust in the family court system is at an all-time low. At the center of this unfolding disgrace is Judge Michelle Schauer, a jurist who appears to be waging a quiet war against Marc Fishman, a father who has spent nearly five years fighting for the most basic right any parent should have: to see his children.

Canceled Hearing, Continued Injustice

On August 11, Marc was supposed to have a hearing — his day in court — to present evidence of parental alienation, a term courts too often dismiss as if it were fiction, despite reams of psychological research and thousands of testimonies from erased parents across America. But that hearing was canceled. Why? Because Judge Schauer unilaterally declared “there is no evidence of alienation,” even though Marc Fishman hasn’t seen his children in almost five years.
 
 That isn’t justice. That’s retaliation.

A Judge Recused — Then Returned

Let’s not forget, this is the same Judge Schauer who was recused from Marc’s case in 2018, and whom Marc Fishman filed a lawsuit against — a lawsuit that laid bare deep concerns about her impartiality. Now, in a move that reeks of political theater and judicial overreach, Schauer has returned to his case, against his objections, and is again wielding her gavel like a weapon.

Proof Ignored, Rights Denied

Marc has done everything the system has asked — and then some. He’s filed motions. He’s complied with endless court procedures. He’s submitted FOIL requests, which unearthed exonerating information about prior charges and demonstrated how certain accusations used to remove him from his children’s lives were fabricated or unsubstantiated. And yet, no matter what he does, the Westchester court slams the door in his face.
 
 And here’s the kicker: despite having documented disabilities, Marc has also been denied proper ADA accommodations in violation of federal law. So the same system that stripped him of his children now denies him the basic tools he needs to even advocate for himself in court.
 
 If this isn’t judicial abuse, what is?

The Human Cost

Marc Fishman is not just a litigant. He’s a father. A man. A human being. And like too many others, he is suffering deeply — not because he failed as a parent, but because he dared to fight back. He dared to sue a judge, challenge a system, and refuse to be erased quietly.
 
 That kind of courage, unfortunately, often comes with a price.
 
 In his own words, Marc said he asked himself, “Why am I enduring this extreme pain?” And his answer? “I miss my kids and I’m a glutton for punishment.”

Undeniable Evidence of Parental Alienation

Marc has the ultimate evidence of parental alienation — evidence that he has shown to Judge Schauer, Judge Burke, and Judge Cabinello-Thompson:
 
 1. The police withheld a phone call in which Marc’s ex-wife lied — twice — stating to officers that she had a complete stay-away order against Marc, when in fact Judge Schauer’s order allowed visitation.
 2. The extensive reporting and sworn deposition by Schauer-appointed supervising social worker Ann Elliot, who stated she witnessed extensive parental alienation over the course of a year’s worth of visits.
 3. Withheld video footage of the Attorney General-designated “pattern misconduct” officer, Lane Schlesinger, telling a court-appointed disability aide that “he did not think Marc committed a crime and Marc had no intent to commit a crime.”
 
 That false arrest — enabled by lies and misconduct — has resulted in six years of no in-person contact with Marc’s children. The alienation was orchestrated by Jennifer Solomon and protected by rogue elements of the New Rochelle police.

Judicial Power and Retaliation

Yet in Westchester County, cases aren’t resolved through justice. They’re terminated when disability-discriminating judges like Schauer usurp the findings of lower judges like Burke and Cabinello-Thompson — judges who both found a prima facie case of parental alienation. Schauer’s intervention serves one purpose: to protect her own record, and to shield ex-wives and bad cops from accountability.
 
 Because if alienation is proven in Marc Fishman’s case — it threatens to unravel every case Schauer and the New Rochelle police have ever touched. That risk is too high for a judge committed to protecting a broken system rather than correcting it.

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