Judge Donna Schaefer
Court: Circuit Court, Family Division
Location: Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Judge Donna Schaefer, as the County Administrative Judge in Anne Arundel County, has played a leading role in what critics describe as a judicial crusade against father Jeffrey Reichert. Schaefer’s courtroom conduct reveals a disturbing pattern of selective enforcement and apparent retaliation. She issued a default protective order against Reichert while he was hospitalized in an ICU, refused to default the Plaintiff when she missed hearings, denied venue transfers despite both parties moving out of the county, and reassigned the case exclusively to judges known to rule against the father. Far from neutral, Schaefer allegedly blocked key witnesses and pro bono advocates associated with Reichert while shielding Sarah Hornbeck from accountability—even as mounting evidence of procedural abuse and child concealment emerged.
Reichert believes that Schaefer’s actions stem not from impartial adjudication but from deep political entanglements. According to public reporting, Schaefer hosted social events while privately disparaging Reichert’s sobriety, later striking best interest attorneys and allowing procedural maneuvers that benefited Hornbeck and her legal allies. Ties to Republican insiders, including attorney John Michel and former Hogan general counsel Mike Padone, further fuel allegations that Schaefer has used her bench to serve political interests under the guise of justice.
ALWD-Style Citations:
Michael Phillips, The Shadow Guardian: Who Is John Michel and Why Is He Central to the Reichert v. Hornbeck Custody Crisis?, The Thunder Report (June 19, 2025), https://thunderreport.org/2025/06/19/the-shadow-guardian-who-is-john-michel-and-why-is-he-central-to-the-reichert-v-hornbeck-custody-crisis/.
Michael Phillips, The Courtroom That Erased Fatherhood: Four Father’s Days Without a Word, The Thunder Report (June 17, 2025), https://thunderreport.org/2025/06/17/the-courtroom-that-erased-fatherhood-four-fathers-days-without-a-word/.
