The August judge election in Germantown is different from other local races in the suburb.

Rhea Clift and Justin Gee are facing off for the position. It’s a six-year term as Raymond Clift Jr., Rhea’s father, retired in 2022. Kevin Patterson, appointed to the interim position, is not seeking election.

Clift and Gee both applied for the interim post before Patterson was ultimately appointed. Now, both are seeking the office for the unfulfilled portion of the eight-year term.

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Germantown judge is the only city-specific race on the August ballot. Early voting runs from July 12 to 27. Election Day is Thursday, Aug, 1. 

Court in Germantown meets on Wednesdays, and judges in the city deal with traffic violations, code enforcement and other criminal cases, such as drug charges or shoplifting. Occasionally the court might handle a larger felony and set a bond, but suburban judges only hold preliminary hearings before such cases are sent to Criminal Court. 

No platforms have emerged in the early stages of the campaigns, a difference from other suburban races. 

Clift and Gee have spent most of their lives in Germantown and support the suburban police force.

Clift’s career has focused on prosecution, while Gee has worked in defense.

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The Germantown judge’s responsibilities are to uphold and apply the law. Gee didn’t see any changes needed in the current suburban judicial system.

“We just want to maintain the status of a community that’s safe for people to raise families in and for retirees,” he said, noting Germantown Police Department enforces the laws.

With Clift’s background as a prosecutor, she wants to ensure victims are informed.

“A lot of times they just really want to be acknowledged in the process, but I do ask them about the case because I think that can start them on a healing journey,” she said. “... I tell them ‘This is my job, but this is your life. What do you need to know?’”

Rhea Clift

Clift began her prosecuting career 33 years ago with the Shelby County District Attorney’s office. She worked 49 jury trials as assistant district attorney, mostly sex crimes and a few murders. She enjoyed seeing criminals put away, but didn’t want to spend her entire career at 201 Poplar, the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center. 

In 2000, Judge Freeman Marr recruited her to become a prosecutor in Bartlett and in 2020, she became the suburb’s chief prosecutor. She is also a prosecutor in Millington City Court. If elected, she must resign from her Bartlett role because that court tries state cases. She can retain her Millington post because it’s exclusively a city court.

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“My duty is to the community and to make the community better and safer,” she said. “I want (Germantown) to be a safe place to raise a family.”

She is concerned crime in Memphis may creep into the suburb. She wants potential criminals to see the “Welcome to Germantown” sign and turn around.

Clift grew up in the suburb and her children were also raised in Germantown.

Clift was in the suburb’s second Leadership Germantown class in 1997 and served on the Board of Zoning Appeals for three years.

Justin Gee

Gee has 18 years of experience as a defense attorney. He’s served in every courtroom in Shelby County.

He’s been with the same law firm — Wagerman Katzman — for 19 years and specializes in seizures of property, which is a niche, but also works on many criminal cases.

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Gee grew up in Germantown and went to Dogwood Elementary, Houston Middle and Houston High.

The impetus to run for judge stems from wanting to give back to the community and a desire for local involvement in recent years. His parents were never elected officials but instilled the value of serving others around them.

“I feel like I have the expertise and knowledge to be able to do this job,” he said. “I’ve handled criminal cases from a simple traffic ticket to death penalty cases. I understand how to handle the most serious cases.”

He is concerned by crime in Memphis and recognizes the challenge of keeping it out of Germantown. However, he believes the suburban police force is helping keep it out.

“I understand why citizens are concerned, but there’s no reason to fearmonger here,” he said.

Gee also graduated from Leadership Germantown in 2019.