A Bronx Family Court judge, Cynthia Lopez, 47, voluntarily stepped down from a child custody dispute following allegations from a mother, Sidney Southerland, who claimed the judge contacted her through a swingers’ application.
According to The New York Post, Judge Lopez announced her decision to recuse herself from the case in a concise virtual meeting with Southerland’s lawyer this Monday.
The incident reportedly unfolded last week when Southerland received a message from a user named “Cynthia” on 3Fun, an app catering to individuals open to sexual exploration. The message sent early in the morning on January 24, greeted Southerland and introduced the sender as Cynthia.
Southerland shared a screenshot of this message and the user’s profile with The New York Post, allegedly depicting Judge Lopez in revealing attire. The profile described the user as bisexual, in a relationship with a male named “Ant,” and explicitly detailed their preferences in sexual partners.
Upon receiving the message, Southerland confronted the sender, who blocked her. Despite this, Southerland captured images of both the message and the profile. She intended to file a complaint, suggesting that Judge Lopez’s interest in her may have influenced the judge’s handling of her custody case. Southerland voiced her discomfort and concern over the judge’s alleged actions, stating it was disturbing that personal attraction could affect her case.
Following the incident, Southerland took to TikTok and X to publicize her experience, raising questions about the judge’s professionalism a week before their court date. Her TikTok post caught the attention of the city Administration for Children’s Services, which forwarded the issue to the state Office of Court Administration (OCA). The OCA confirmed they are reviewing the claim.
Southerland’s legal challenges began in July 2021, leading to her filing a lawsuit against the city in September 2022 for an arrest at her mother’s residence in the Bronx. She alleges that the police provided no justification for their action.
