Honorable Willie G. Lipscomb, Jr. has served in his capacity as Judge for the 36th District Court for fourteen years. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Judge Lipscomb attended the University of Maryland and Wayne State University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts from the letter in 1970. In 1975 he was awarded a Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

Prior to his current position, Judge Lipscomb served as Executive Director of the Notre Dame Legal Aid and Defenders' Association from 1974-75 and as Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Wayne County from 1975-79. In a private law practice from 1979-83, he then joined the 36th District Court as Magistrate, a title he held for two years before becoming Judge.

Judge Lipscomb is a lifelong member of the NAACP and belongs to the State Bar of Michigan, he is also a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. In 1993 he founded the Handgun Intervention Program, for which he is now the administrator. He serves as Advisory board member for the Northeast Guidance Center, the Detroit Midnight Basketball program.

Judge Lipscomb was chosen as 1995 Michiganian of the year, he was also presented with the Keep the dream Alive Award from St. Anthony Church and selected as a WWJ Citizen of the Week. Notre Dame School named him Alumni of the year for 1996. In 1997 alone he received the William D. Reynolds Alumni Association Award and the Distinguished Black Exemplar Award from University of Notre Dame, as well as the National State Courts Association Outstanding Service Award. Judge Lipscomb is divorced and has one daughter, Christine.