CHERI NICOLE SIMPKINS

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Maryland Judiciary, Prince George’s County Circuit Court

The Honorable Cheri Nicole Simpkins serves as associate judge for the Maryland Judiciary’s Prince George’s County Circuit Court, where she was appointed by Governor Wes Moore in 2024. In this role, she presides over major criminal, civil and family law matters in one of Maryland’s largest and busiest judicial circuits, handling complex criminal jury trials, high-stakes custody disputes and significant civil litigation affecting businesses and individuals.

Simpkins previously served as District Court Judge from 2017 to 2024, appointed by Governor Larry Hogan as the first Afro-Latina/African American to serve on that bench. During her District Court tenure, she managed a high-volume docket of criminal misdemeanors, civil cases, landlord-tenant disputes, domestic violence petitions and traffic matters while ensuring timely and fair adjudication.

Before joining the bench, Simpkins spent 14 years as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Prince George’s County, where she held leadership positions including Chief of the Juvenile Division and Assistant Chief of the District Court Division. In these roles, she managed attorney teams, developed prosecutorial policies and oversaw case strategies for hundreds of prosecutions. She specialized in handling the most sensitive cases, including child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence and technology-facilitated child exploitation, while also serving on specialty teams such as Drug Court.

Simpkins demonstrates her commitment to mentoring through her leadership of the Schools in the Court program in Prince George’s County. This initiative brings county public school students to real court proceedings, where they interact with judges, attorneys and courthouse staff while participating in educational exercises. The program has reached hundreds of students, teaching them about legal consequences and exposing them to potential careers in the justice system.

Currently serving as adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center and the University of Baltimore, Simpkins teaches legal ethics and mentors both J.D. and foreign-trained LLM students. She also provides leadership on the Maryland Judiciary’s Language Access Committee, working to eliminate barriers for non-English speakers and ASL users to ensure equal access to court services.

“My leadership is grounded in integrity, inclusion, and a vision of justice that strengthens both our legal system and the broader community it serves,” Simpkins said, reflecting her approach to judicial service and community engagement.

Honoree profiles were written using an artificial intelligence program and supported by honoree nominations, applications and letters of recommendation. Each profile was reviewed, fact-checked and edited for accuracy by The Daily Record’s editorial staff.

This is an honoree profile from The Daily Record's Hispanic Leadership Awards for 2025. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree.