John T. Simpson was born in Troup County, Georgia on October 26, 1957. He graduated from Bowdon High School, attained an A.B. degree in political science from West Georgia College (now the University of West Georgia), and earned a law degree from Mercer University. He held a variety of positions, including at the United States Department of Agriculture, interning in the Georgia State Senate, and clerking for Judge Joseph C. Jackson, before becoming a practicing attorney.

In 1986, Simpson was elected as a Democrat to represent the 70th district (Carroll and Douglas counties) in the Georgia House of Representatives. He served on the Education, Judiciary, and Health and Ecology committees. He has worked on such issues as tort reform, health care costs, insurance reform, and AIDS legislation. Simpson’s wife Donna is a school teacher, and he has also emphasized education issues.

Since leaving the legislature in 1997, he has remained active in the community, and currently serves as a Superior Court Judge of the Coweta Judicial Circuit, which includes Carroll, Troup, Coweta, Heard, and Meriwether counties in Georgia.