Child Welfare & CPS Defense
Protecting Families, Safeguarding Rights & Navigating CPS With Precision
When Child Protective Services (also known in Texas as “Department of Family and Protective Services” or “DFPS” and “CPS”) becomes involved in your life, everything changes at once. You’re not just facing a legal challenge—you’re facing a threat to your family, your reputation, freedom and future. CPS cases demand an attorney who understands how the system works from the inside, who can anticipate each step before it happens, and who can protect you with strategy, compassion, and unwavering resolve.
Judge Mike Schneider (Ret.) is widely recognized as one of Texas’s leading child welfare and CPS defense attorneys. With decades of experience on both sides of the bench as a trial lawyer, former judge, consultant, and national expert, Mike has represented and provided consultations for families and their attorneys in high-stakes child welfare matters across Houston, Harris County, all over Texas and the United States.
What Falls Under Child Welfare Law?
Child welfare law covers far more than general family law disputes. It governs:
- CPS investigations and home assessments
- Custody lawsuits or “SAPCR” cases filed by CPS
- CPS intervention in divorces and custody cases
- Forensic interviews of children by CPS and law enforcement
- Allegations of abuse, neglect, or endangerment
- Reports to CPS from physicians and pediatric hospitals
- Referrals from schools and teachers
- Removal of children from a home
- Safety plans, service plans, family based services, and reunification
- Termination of parental rights
- Placement options for relatives, grandparents & foster families
- Administrative reviews, appeals, and post-judgment issues
- Licensing issues and abuse or neglect allegations facing foster parents and child placement agencies
Unlike typical family law issues—such as divorce, custody disputes, or support arrangements—child welfare cases move faster, carry higher risk, and involve a powerful state agency with significant authority and a virtually unlimited budget for attorneys and expert witnesses to advocate for their interests. This is why you need an advocate who understands the policies, procedures, and pressures unique to CPS.
Child Welfare & CPS Defense Services
- CPS investigations (initial contact, interviews of children and caregivers, home visits)
- Safety plans, service plans, & negotiated resolutions
- Emergency removals & hearings (Adversary / 14-day hearings)
- Representation in ongoing DFPS cases
- Termination of parental rights defense
- Kinship placement & grandparent representation
- Foster family, caregiver, and child placement agency representation
- Appeals and post-judgment CPS matters
- Expert consultation and testimony for attorneys facing complex or multi-state cases
Who We Represent
Mike Schneider has served a wide range of individuals and families impacted by CPS, including:
- Parents facing CPS allegations or loss of custody
- Parents facing criminal allegations triggered by a CPS investigation
- Parents facing CPS presence because of criminal allegations
- Grandparents seeking to protect or gain placement of their grandchildren
- Foster families and child placement agencies defending against licensing complaints or removals
- Relatives and kinship caregivers seeking emergency placement
- Guardians and stepparents impacted by CPS decisions
- Professionals and caregivers accused of neglect or misconduct
- Attorneys across the county seeking expert consultation regarding child welfare agencies
- Attorneys fighting criminal charges involving CPS matters
Whatever your role in a child’s life, our goal remains constant: protect your rights, preserve your relationship, and prevent unnecessary State interference.
What Makes Mike More Than A
Child Welfare Lawyer?
With decades of diverse trial experience—from every side of the bench and bar—and a deep institutional knowledge of the many agencies with whom he has worked, Mike Schneider has protected mothers, fathers, foster and adoptive parents, grandparents, siblings and anyone accused in countless high-profile cases featured in national and global media.
He has extensive experience representing clients before numerous state agencies, including:
- Child Protective Services (CPS)
- Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)
- Texas Health and Human Services
- State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH)
- Title IX Departments
When Mike is on your side, you get More Than a Lawyer.
- Former State District Court Judge
- Former Assistant Harris County Attorney
- Seasoned Trial Attorney with Years of Courtroom Advocacy on Behalf of Caregivers
- Expert Witness & Consultant
- Court-Appointed Amicus in Child Custody Cases
- CPS Administrative Insider
- Child Welfare Researcher & Policy Analyst
- CLE Trainer & Educator for Lawyers
Deep Knowledge of Child Welfare Investigations and Administrative Hearings
The goal is to keep clients out of the courts. The moment CPS or law enforcement investigations begin, parental rights—and those of foster parents, grandparents and other caregivers—are in immediate jeopardy, and the risk of criminal prosecution is heightened. Mike’s experience navigating this complex maze of law enforcement and child welfare investigators, pediatric hospitals, social workers, and often the media is unmatched.
Decades of Diverse Trial Experience
Mike has successfully tried hundreds of trials as a lawyer and state district judge, ranging from thorny child custody battles and protective orders to felony criminal investigations and a range of charges and indictments from injury to a child to sexual assault and capital murder.
Early in his judicial tenure, the Houston Chronicle praised his “demonstrated competency” in handling high-profile cases and consistently endorsed him throughout his entire judicial career, noting, “Schneider has devoted his career to protecting children‚ both as an assistant Harris County attorney and as general counsel of Houston’s renowned Children’s Assessment Center.”
History of High-Profile Success
Judge Schneider is known for his aggressive defense of the most consequential criminal and CPS investigations and in the courtroom at every stage—with clients across the United States. Mike has protected mothers, fathers, foster and adoptive parents, grandparents, siblings and anyone accused in countless high-profile cases featured in national media and across the globe.
Due to his deep understanding of the child welfare systems and agencies, he has an 80–90% success rate in preventing CPS lawsuits through his involvement in administrative and investigation cases.
Advocacy Founder & Leader
Mike has founded or served as a leading member of numerous advocacy courts, programs and organizations including:
- Commissioner, Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families (Children’s Commission), Austin (2015-21)
- Founder of first Juvenile Drug Court in Harris County
- Founder, Harris County Juvenile Human Trafficking Court, Creating Advocacy Resilience and Empowerment (“CARE” formerly “GIRLS” Court)
- Founder, Juvenile Sealing Program, with Houston Bar Association and University of Houston Law Center Juvenile and Capital Advocacy Program
- Founder, myvoiceincourt.org, an Online Resource for Children in Texas Foster Care
- Council & Founding Member of Child Welfare Section, State Bar of Texas, Austin
- Board Member, The Way Home Adoption, Inc. (2019-24)
- Chair, Officer, Juvenile Law Section, State Bar of Texas, Austin
- Board of Directors, Center for Science and Law, Palo Alto, California
- Board Member, Criss Cole Children’s Foundation, Houston
- Member of Data Committee, Children’s Commission, Austin
Understands Every Side of the Bench & Bar
Mike joined the Harris County Attorney’s Office in 1999, serving as Chief of the 313th District Court and managed and tried thousands of child custody cases involving the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (CPS).
In 2001, he became Deputy Division Chief of the office’s Children’s Protective Division, and from 2004 until he took the bench in 2006, served as General Counsel to the world-renowned Children’s Assessment Center in Houston’s Rice Village.
He proudly served as Commissioner of the Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission and Chair of the State Bar of Texas Juvenile Law Section.
Trained & Educated Thousands of Lawyers
Mike has created and taught Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs that have trained thousands of lawyers on topics including CPS and child abuse, substance use, complex custody litigation, ethics, expert witnesses, human trafficking, record sealing, and many more at the following institutions:
- Advocacy University
- Healing Specialties Texas
- Houston Bar Association
- University of Houston Law Center Juvenile & Capital Advocacy Program
- Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, Sing Sing Correctional Facility
Conducted Years of Legal Research & Policy Analysis
In 2017, Mike was appointed Adjunct Research Scientist in the Psychology Department of Columbia University in the City of New York by Dr. Carl Hart and in 2022 to the Board of the Center for Science and the Law.
In 2019 Mike served the Texas Legislature as Policy Analyst on child welfare issues for State Representative Gene Wu.
Mike has a deep understanding of the policies that affect his clients the most.
Other Practice Areas
Administrative Law
Navigating complex state and agency proceedings impacting families and children, including CPS investigations, licensing actions, and regulatory disputes.
Family Law
Custody, divorce, adoption, and parental rights representation for spouses, families, grandparents, foster parents, and caregivers fighting for the children in their care.
Criminal Law
Strategic defense in state and federal cases, including felony and juvenile matters impacting or triggered by child custody investigations and litigation.
Child Welfare & CPS Defense
We fight for clients at every stage of child custody battles, including CPS involvement—preventing cases from escalating to litigation or appeals whenever possible.
Civil Rights Law
Advocacy for caregivers, professionals, and individuals facing agency investigations or constitutional rights violations.
How We Handle Child Welfare & CPS Defense Disputes
Disputes involving child welfare and CPS investigations often involve strict procedures and short deadlines.
Depending on your situation, we may recommend:
Negotiate
before escalation
Resolve
issues directly with the agency efficiently
Prepare
and guide you through administrative hearings
Represent
commissions, or judges
File
appeals to challenge harmful agency actions
Challenge
adverse decisions using proper legal processes
Litigate
courts
Guiding Families Through CPS Intervention
CPS cases move quickly and bring legal, administrative, and emotional pressures that families rarely feel prepared for. We guide clients through every stage of the process by explaining CPS’s authority, preparing them for interviews, home visits, and assessments, and helping them respond in ways that protect their rights.
Our firm provides steady, strong support as families manage safety plans and service requirements, keeping the terms fair, reasonable, and focused on avoiding removal or accelerating reunification. When cases begin to escalate, we work to prevent unnecessary removals and help families stay actively involved in decisions that impact their children.
We also advocate for foster parents, relatives and grandparents seeking placement or fighting removal, challenge inaccurate reports or allegations, and present a clear and accurate account of events in court. Throughout the case, we focus on bringing your perspective forward so the facts that matter most are fully understood.
Press & News
Over the years, Mike’s involvement in countless high-profile cases has earned him national and global recognition in news and media:
Your Advocate in and Beyond the Courtroom
When your family’s future is at stake, you need More Than a Lawyer—you need someone who has been involved in every aspect of the child welfare system.
Judge Mike Schneider (Ret.) brings decades of courtroom, judicial, agency, and policy experience to defend your family with unmatched insight and compassion.
Schedule Your Consultation Today!
Every moment counts when facing CPS, criminal, or family law issues. It is essential that we build your defense strategy as soon as possible. Let’s schedule a confidential, complimentary consultation.