When you search for judge cedric simpson wife, you aren't usually looking for a recipe or a LinkedIn profile. Most people are actually digging for the truth behind the headlines that rocked Washtenaw County a few years back. The internet has a funny way of blurring the lines between a person's actual spouse and the "scandalous" figures associated with them in news clips.
Honestly, J. Cedric Simpson—the first African American male to sit on a Washtenaw County bench—has kept his actual home life remarkably quiet. While he's a public figure who has spent over two decades in the 14A District Court, his legal marriage is something he protects fiercely. You won't find her name plastered across his campaign posters or mentioned in his official court bio. That’s intentional.
The Confusion Surrounding Judge Cedric Simpson Wife
The massive spike in interest regarding his marital status didn't happen in a vacuum. It was sparked by a high-profile judicial misconduct case. People often confuse the women involved in a man's professional downfall with his family members.
Back in 2014, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission filed a complaint against Simpson. The case centered on his relationship with Crystal Marie Vargas. She was a former intern and a graduate of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. When Vargas was involved in a car accident while allegedly under the influence, Simpson didn't just stay home. He showed up at the scene.
- The Incident: He arrived 10 minutes after her call.
- The Interaction: He identified himself as "Judge Simpson" to the officers.
- The Aftermath: He was accused of trying to interfere with the investigation.
Because this story dominated the Michigan news cycle for years, ending in a nine-month suspension in 2017, search engines started linking his name with "relationship" keywords. But let’s be clear: Crystal Vargas was an intern, not his wife. The "personal relationship" mentioned in court documents was the catalyst for the investigation, but it didn't mean they were married.
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Who is the Real Woman Behind the Judge?
If you're looking for a name like "Mrs. Simpson" in the public record, you’re going to hit a brick wall. This is a guy who grew up in Ann Arbor, losing his father at 16. His mother, Dorothy Jean Simpson, was the real powerhouse in his early life. She taught at Washtenaw Community College (WCC) and helped start a daycare center there.
His sister, Delphia T. Simpson, is also a legal titan in the area, serving as a chief public defender. When Cedric talks about family, he usually talks about them—his parents and his siblings. He credits his mother for steering him toward the University of Maryland and eventually law school after he was shot in the eye with a pellet gun as a kid.
Why the Privacy?
In the world of district judges, keeping your spouse out of the light is a safety measure. Think about it. He deals with:
- Landlord-tenant disputes.
- Criminal dockets.
- Drug court participants.
- High-tension evictions.
When you’re the guy signing the orders, you don’t necessarily want the world knowing where your wife shops or what she does for a living. It’s a boundary that many judges in the 14A District maintain.
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Misconceptions from "Divorce Court"
Another weird quirk of the internet is that there is a "Cedrick Simpson" (different spelling, same sound) who appeared on the TV show Divorce Court with a woman named Candice Clemmons.
If you’ve seen YouTube clips of a "Cedrick" being accused of wandering eyes by a wife named Candice, that is not the Michigan judge. The judge is J. Cedric Simpson. The guy on the reality show is a completely different person. It’s a classic case of identity confusion that happens when a name is even slightly similar to someone in a viral video.
The Reality of His Current Life
Judge Simpson is back on the bench. After his suspension ended, he returned to his duties, focusing heavily on programs like HELPP (an eviction prevention program) and the drug court. He’s also been a part-time law professor at WCC for over 20 years.
He lives in the community he serves. He’s seen at local events in Saline and Ann Arbor. But when it comes to the woman by his side, he keeps that door closed to the press.
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What we know for sure:
He comes from a legacy of educators and public servants. His private life remains just that—private. While the intern scandal of the mid-2010s gave the public a rare, messy look into his personal connections, it did not define his marital status.
If you are trying to verify information about a public official's family, the best place to look is always official financial disclosure statements or property records, though many states allow judges to redact family names for security purposes. In the case of Judge Cedric Simpson, the lack of information is a deliberate choice by a man who has already seen how quickly a personal connection can become a professional liability.
To get a better sense of his professional standing today, you can check the Washtenaw County 14A District Court's official directory or review the Michigan Supreme Court's 2017 ruling for the full context of his past misconduct case.