Judge Robert Schaffer, a native Houstonian, has been Judge of the 152nd Civil District Court since January 1, 2009.  Prior to assuming the bench Judge Schaffer practiced law in the Houston metropolitan area for 24 years representing individuals in many areas of civil disputes.  He also served as a mediator for 16 years.

During his time on the bench, Judge Schaffer has served the citizens of Harris County in many capacities.  In October of 2013, he was elected by the Harris County District Court judges to serve as Local Administrative Judge for the Harris County District Courts and served in that position until 2021. Prior to serving as Local Administrative Judge, he served as the Administrative Judge for the Civil Trial division from 2012 to 2013.  In 2010 he served as a Justice on the 14^th Court of Appeals by special assignment.  The State Multidistrict Litigation Panel selected him to serve as the statewide pretrial judge for the Toyota Unintended Acceleration Multidistrict Litigation in 2010, for the General Motors Ignition Switch Multidistrict Litigation in 2015 and Opioid Multidistrict Litigation in 2017.  He has also served as a member of the Harris County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee.  In 2013 and 2019 Judge Schaffer was selected as the Trial Judge of the Year by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists and Distinguished Alum by the South Texas College of Law Alumni Association in 2014.  The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas appointed him to the Supreme Court Advisory Committee in 2021 and the Judicial Administration Specialization Task Force in 2023.

Judge Schaffer earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona in 1974.  Following his graduation from college he worked in local and state government in Austin before attending law school at South Texas College of Law Houston.  He received his law degree in 1984 and began his legal career as an associate with a small Houston law firm before opening his own law office in 1990 as a sole practitioner.  Soon after he opened his law office, he received mediation training and expanded his practice to include mediation services in civil disputes.  He continued in that practice until he became a judge in 2009.

Judge Schaffer was elected to serve as President of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association (1998-1999), Houston Trial Lawyers Foundation (1999-2000) and the South Texas College of Law Alumni Association (1991-1993).  He has served on various committees of the State Bar of Texas, including chairing a local grievance committee, and the Houston Bar Association.  He presently serves on the Southwest Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League and on the Board of Trustees of Congregation Emanu El.

Judge Schaffer has been married to Jo Ann Weiss Schaffer (also a local attorney) for 36 years and they have three adult children.