Hon. M. Susan Sheppard is a judge for the Atlantic/Cape May County Superior Court (Vicinage 1) in New Jersey. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor Chris Christie in 2017.
While on the bench, Sheppard has held an assignment in the Family Division in Cape May County. She was named presiding judge of the Division in 2019.
Prior to her appointment, she had worked as a surrogate in Cape May County since being elected to the position in 2012. Before that, Sheppard was elected to the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2010, where she also served as vice-director.
She received a B.S. from Villanova University in 1988. Sheppard went on to complete a J.D. at Widener University, Delaware Law School in 1991. She was admitted to practice in Pennsylvania (1991) and New Jersey (1992).
After graduating from law school, Sheppard began her legal career as an attorney in Pennsylvania at the law firm of Blank, Rome, Comisky & McCauley. She went on to practice at McCabe, Weisberg & Conway in New Jersey.
Over the course of her legal career, Sheppard also spent three years as an assistant city solicitor for Atlantic City (2003 to 2006) and was a councilwoman for Ocean City’s Third Ward (2008 to 2011).
Her late father, the Hon. Albert W. Sheppard, Jr. (deceased), sat as a judge in Pennsylvania.