Hon. David S. Schell (Ret.)

Judge Schell served as a trial court Judge in Fairfax County for over 25 years. For 17 years he presided in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, where he was Chief Judge for 4 years. This was followed by 8 years as a Circuit Court Judge. During his time on the bench, Judge Schell heard and decided numerous family law, personal injury, real estate, division of decedents estates, condemnation, and real property cases. For 8 years he presented a highly rated annual lecture outlining the most important appellate cases for use by all the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court judges in Virginia. The Chief Justice appointed Judge Schell as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Foster Care and Adoption, which rewrote the laws in the Virginia Code to reduce the time foster children stay in foster care prior to return home or adoption. Since his retirement from the bench, Judge Schell has gained valuable ADR experience by participating as Judicial Settlement Conference Program Judge.

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE

Former Chairman, Advisory Committee to the Supreme Court of Virginia for the Court Improvement Program – Foster Care and Adoption

Former Commissioner in Chancery, Fairfax County

Former Chairman, Public Relations Committee for Fairfax Bar Association, and Member, Legislative Committee for Fairfax Bar Association

Lecturer, Annual Appellate Review for Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judges at District Judges Conference

Lecturer, The Women’s Center, Vienna, Virginia

Judicial Education Committee

Judicial Liaison Committee to the Department of Juvenile Justice

Tenth District Grievance Committee

Fairfax Bar Association