A Michigan man who accompanied his granddaughter to court found himself in hot water last month when one of Washtenaw County’s most irascible judges told him to sit down and be quiet as he complained that the hearing didn’t start on time.
In one of his most fiery reprimands yet, District Court Judge J. Cedric Simpson, whose no-nonsense videotaped hearings have found a loyal following on social media, angrily ordered the grandfather to “Have a seat!” after he got persnickety from the gallery.
The latest video clip, posted to TikTok by CourtTV. 247, is set during a May 20 hearing for Eternity Jackson, who identified her grandfather when the judge asked who accompanied her to court after she was cited for lack of car insurance.
Simpson began the proceeding by addressing the grandfather in the audience for arguing earlier with court staff when the hearing didn’t start promptly at 9 a.m., though this part of the confrontation was not captured on camera.
“All right, sir, I realize you wanted her case called, but I’ll just give this admonition,” Simpson explained from the bench. “I call the cases in order as I have them by their blocks. We’re not going to call this thing at 9 o’clock, and I don’t appreciate ever my staff being yelled at.”
After this, the man interrupts Simpson, and the judge raises his voice to finish making his point.
“Or … Or, are you try to send them back to pose a question to me,” Simpson added, talking over the man, who was mumbling under his breath and speaking out of turn.
When it was finally the man’s time to speak, his words infuriated the judge.
“Well, you know what, your honor?” the man began, his tone revealing a clear lack of respect.
Simpson looked visibly stunned as the man lectured him about the late start to the proceedings.
“Okay, y’all send out a letter that said 9 o’clock, all right. If y’all do,” the bold man griped, but at this point, Simpson was fed up and cut him off.
“Sir,” Simpson said sternly. “It isn’t even your case.”
The courtroom fell silent for a moment, and the judge calmly instructed, “So, have a seat.”
But the man defiantly remained standing.
When he tried to get in the last word on the judge, Simpson exploded.
“Have a seat!” the judge yelled, but the man was unfazed and stayed on his feet.
“Have a seat!” the judge yelled again.
This time, the man wisely lowered himself into his chair, ending the exchange before facing potential jail time.
Simpson moved on after that, saying, “I’ve given my admonition. That’s the way that it will roll.”
Moments later, the judge dismissed the case against Jackson after she provided proof of an insurance policy for six months.
Judge Simpson has grabbed numerous headlines over the past year while dealing with a steady stream of harebrained defendants.
The most recent case involved a Michigan man whose driver’s license was suspended when he appeared for court on a Zoom call from behind the wheel of his car.
Not one to tolerate any nonsense, Simpson immediately revoked the man’s bond and ordered him to report to jail.
Back in April, a Michigan woman already facing charges in a road rage incident found herself in hot water when she turned snippety with Simpson, who threatened to throw her in jail unless she calmed down.
“She better check herself,” Simpson warned the woman’s lawyer.
Last June, Judge Simpson presided over another video hearing that involved a defendant who came before his court after being charged with drug possession.
At one point, Simpson observed the defendant, Anthony Lane, in the Zoom waiting room rolling a blunt in plain view.
Simpson then ordered Lane to go to an official corrections facility for drug testing the same day, but when Lane didn’t show up, the judge revoked his bond.
