Judge denies motion that would’ve ousted Wanda Halbert from office
All sides are back in court Tuesday for a hearing on Halbert’s attorney’s motion to dismiss the case entirely.
There are 58 article(s) tagged Shelby County Clerk:
All sides are back in court Tuesday for a hearing on Halbert’s attorney’s motion to dismiss the case entirely.
Early voting begins July 12 in important Shelby County races. To help you prepare, The Daily Memphian is starting a series of articles taking a closer look at the Aug. 1 election ballot.
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert is facing a second ouster petition after the first was dismissed in June.
The location at Mullins Station Road will continue to provide all other services.
Lee Whitwell, chief litigation attorney for the office, confirmed to The Daily Memphian in an email Friday night that he has hired Robert Meyers of law firm Glanker Brown to continue the proceedings.
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert will remain in office after Circuit Court Judge Felicia Corbin-Johnson dismissed an ouster petition against her. What could happen next?
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert and Hamilton County District Attorney General Coty Wamp had different reactions at simultaneous press conferences Tuesday, June 18, following news a local judge had dismissed Wamp’s ouster petition against Halbert.Related content:
Wanda Halbert says she’s working on a plan, but she said her reports may still be late or inaccurate, the software auditors recommended doesn’t work for her office and the county is not funding her enough.
Asked about Halbert’s statements, Mayor Lee Harris told The Daily Memphian: “I’m shocked by everything you just said. The rabbit hole has gotten deeper.”
Hamilton County District Attorney General Coty Wamp is seeking Halbert’s removal because “Defendant has willfully neglected to perform duties enjoined upon Defendant by the laws of the State.” Support for Wanda Halbert’s raise requests vanishes with legal move to oust herRelated content:
Funding requests came before Shelby County commissioners Wednesday, May 1, in committee sessions. They appear to be a move toward a corrective-action plan, but the pay raises are likely to face more questions.
The local government audit unit of the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office issued its report Thursday, March 21, on incorrect revenue figures from the Shelby County Clerk’s office after a three-week investigation that included a week in Memphis.
On Tuesday, Clerk Wanda Halbert submitted revised revenue reports to County Trustee Regina Newman, who said they were wrong. Meanwhile, a state audit team is due in Memphis to begin a review for the Tennessee comptroller.
“The evidence of incompetence and willful neglect by management in the Shelby County Clerk’s Office is overwhelming,” Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower wrote in a letter to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and the Shelby County Commission.
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert sent a memo Monday, Feb. 26, blaming the bad revenue numbers from her office on the county’s bad system for reporting the financial numbers.Related story:
“I think it’s time for us to figure out a solution, and it’s hard to believe that the solution is Wanda Halbert as county clerk,” said the Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris on WKNO’s “Behind the Headlines.”
The day after the special prosecutor from Chattanooga came to Memphis to hear from the public, Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright has drafted a formal complaint against Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert.
Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright said Wednesday, Dec. 27, he is in the process of drafting a formal complaint against Wanda Halbert for the special prosecutor’s office in Chattanooga to consider.
Hamilton County District Attorney General Coty G. Wamp, in a letter to Shelby County commissioners, says the investigation has been slow moving with unreturned phone calls and denied records requests that she says violate state law.
The office simply had a closed sign on the door with a clock indicating they would reopen at 8 a.m. There was no explanation for why none of the employees were present. County Commission wants ‘status update’ from Wanda Halbert prosecutorRelated story:
New documents show Halbert’s office owes more than $9,800 in rent on the Poplar Plaza location she vacated last week. She hasn’t turned in a monthly report on time for revenues collected by her office since July 2021, and the commission is asking questions.
Wanda Halbert’s office has been under investigation since June. The Chattanooga prosecutor leading the probe tells The Daily Memphian the closing of the Poplar Plaza clerk’s office has his attention.
Halbert has talked of opening a new clerk’s office on Riverdale Road since late last year. The “soft opening” means the office won’t be fully staffed.
Wanda Halbert met March 29 with county commissioners who pressed for specifics on a lease at Poplar Plaza and an opening date for the Riverdale Road office. One commissioner pushed his call for her to resign.
An email chain indicates representatives from Poplar Plaza have been asking Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert since at least September 2022 about relocating the clerk’s office space in the shopping center.Related story: