State report: Cost of bail in Shelby County up more than 40%
The comptroller’s report calls for greater transparency regarding criminal justice data.
Topic: Shelby County Criminal Court
RSSThere are 28 article(s) tagged Shelby County Criminal Court:
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March 2025
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September 2024
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Fewer firsts: Female judges talk diminishing gender gap
When Judge Carolyn Wade Blackett first took the bench 30 years ago, she said it was “strange” to be one of only a few women. At her first judicial conference, colleagues mistook her for hotel staff.
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July 2024
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Judge accused of bias disputes allegations
A Shelby County judge recently accused of bias against an attorney has responded to the allegations, calling them an attempt to “impugn the integrity” of her court.
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April 2024
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Cutting judicial seats will increase local caseload, critics say
The state’s push to remove two judgeships in Memphis faces resistance locally and from some Tennessee legislators who say Shelby County still needs the seats, particularly Division 9 of the Criminal Court.
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Embattled judge Melissa Boyd resigns
The move stops a planned vote Thursday, April 4, that would’ve likely seen Shelby County Criminal Court Division 9 Judge Melissa Boyd removed from the bench.
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February 2024
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Committee appointed to consider removing Judge Melissa Boyd
The committee could meet as soon as Thursday, March 7. The process for her removal is not the same as a formal impeachment, which would stop her from running for office again.
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Judge reprimanded for overturning 163-year sentence
The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct issued Shelby County Criminal Court Division 1 Judge Paula Skahan a public reprimand Feb. 14 for overturning the sentence of Courtney Anderson in December 2022.
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State senator explores carving new suburban judicial district out of Memphis
Sen. Brent Taylor is exploring concepts and asking questions about separating the Shelby County suburbs and Memphis into different judicial districts.
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Sanford: Carter’s judicial report should stir us to demand more from our judges
What retired Criminal Court Judge Robert “Bobby” Carter discovered — by observation and through data that he could compile — was an eye opener, particularly regarding the dearth of criminal cases that go to trial.
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January 2024
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Judge granted order of protection against brother, a senior DA official
Gerald Skahan allegedly sent three text messages where he threatened “bodily harm” or to kill Paula Skahan, according to the complaint.
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Lost in translation: Local courts need less-common language interpreters
Just under 5% of Shelby County residents speak a language at home that isn’t English or Spanish, according to 2022 Census data. Finding court interpreters for those residents can be difficult when they’re needed.
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December 2023
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Embattled Criminal Court judge Melissa Boyd indicted
The Shelby County Criminal Court Division 9 judge has been indicted for coercion of a witness and harassment, according to court records.
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November 2023
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Shelby County judge suspended after admitting to illegal drug use
That information was revealed in documents officially referring Shelby County Criminal Court Division 9 Judge Melissa Boyd to the Tennessee General Assembly for “further action,” including potential removal.
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October 2023
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‘Excessive tardiness’ and ‘mean-spiritedness’ among complaints against judges
Although some judges were commended for their courtroom etiquette, a local nonprofit says some judges in Shelby County struggle with sensitivity and when to appoint public defenders for indigent defendants.
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Exclusive: Reprimanded judge talks why she’s been away from the bench
Shelby County Criminal Court 9 Judge Melissa Boyd said she reached an agreement with the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct to temporarily step down after complaints and an order of protection were filed against her.
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August 2023
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Judge James Jones Jr. reprimanded for writing character letters
Jones, elected last August, has been disciplined for writing character letters for defendants in a Florida wire fraud case.
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March 2023
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15-year-old accused in Eason-Williams’ killing transferred to adult court
A 15-year-old accused in the July killing of Rev. Autura Eason-Williams will be transferred to adult court while a second 16-year-old suspect will stay in juvenile court.
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January 2023
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Recipe for a backlog: 10,557 adult arrests in 2022, and 35 criminal court trials
While hundreds of inmates sat in jail for more than 500 days awaiting their day in court, and victims longed for closure, the Shelby County Criminal Court held a total of 35 trials in 2022.
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September 2022
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Court is in session?: Judges absences from bench adding to COVID backlog
Though it includes 10 judges and 10 divisions, Shelby County’s criminal court system had only tried 32 cases by August of this year — and there’s a backlog of 465 pending trials.
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April 2022
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Judge Lee Coffee strives to treat cases with ‘dignity, respect and civility’
Judge Lee Coffee has been practicing law for 40 years and has served as a Shelby County criminal court judge for Division VII for 16 years since his election in 2006.
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March 2022
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Expungement clinic offers future to those with criminal past
“This clinic is a way to offer people opportunities to get them back on the right track,” Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk Heidi Kuhn said.
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January 2022
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Jury trials suspended in Shelby County as COVID cases spike
Jury trials in Shelby County Criminal Court are suspended through Jan. 28 as COVID cases increase locally.
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March 2021
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Former Criminal Court Judge James C. Beasley Jr. dies
James C. Beasley Jr, a former Shelby County Criminal Court judge, died Sunday, Feb. 21. He was remembered as fair and a well-respected judge by his friends and colleagues.
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October 2020
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Shelby County jury trials in holding pattern
Shelby County Criminal Court was set to begin holding some trials next month, but now restarting jury trials is on hold until the health department issues COVID-19 safety protocols.
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Criminal court trials set to resume in Memphis
Shelby County Criminal Court trials can resume in October after judges suspended trials in August because of COVID-19.
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