Crime & Safety

Jessica Simpson's Father Pleads 'No Contest'

Celebrity lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley enters the plea Tuesday.

The father of singers Ashlee and Jessica Simpson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor drunken driving and was given three years probation, fined and ordered to take a three-month class on alcohol abuse, it was reported today.

Celebrity lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley entered the plea Tuesday on behalf of 54-year-old Joe T. Simpson, who was arrested Aug. 4 on suspicion of drunken driving in Sherman Oaks and spent a night in jail, TMZ.com reported.

The former youth minister's blood-alcohol content was reportedly measured at 0.12 percent, well above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Find out what's happening in Sherman Oakswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Last month, Simpson's wife Tina, 52, filed for divorce in Texas. The couple married in 1978.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.