After nearly a year’s worth of disputes, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and Shelby County Juvenile Court continue to be at loggerheads over their duties regarding juveniles.

And there seems to be no end in sight, despite various county leaders trying to end the conflict. 

Earlier this month, Juvenile Court was scheduled to resume in-person hearings at its Downtown courthouse after being closed for more than five months for mold and lead remediation. But, three days before the planned switch, an attorney for SCSO sent a letter to Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon saying the sheriff’s office would not transport youth from the Youth Justice and Education Center to their hearings Downtown. 

Juvenile Court against taking over youth detention center

That move came after months of disputes between the two entities about which one should operate the Youth Justice and Education Center at 3420 Old Getwell Road in Oakhaven. While the sheriff’s office currently runs the facility, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said in April that he told Sugarmon in a December 2023 letter he would transfer the juvenile facility’s operations back to Juvenile Court by December of this year. 

In a statement the very next day, Sugarmon questioned that timeline, citing the “intricate nature of the transition process.” In July, he told The Daily Memphian he was opposed to managing the facility.

For the past few months, LaSonya Hall, deputy chief administrator with Shelby County government, has been holding talks between the sheriff’s office and Juvenile Court. 

Hall declined an interview. Bonner and Sugarmon both declined to talk for this story, as well. 

But Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris told The Daily Memphian that the conversations led by Hall had ended without the issue being resolved. 

‘Last-minute’ change shifts Monday Juvenile Court hearings to virtual

As of Oct. 22, the mayor had last spoken to representatives from Juvenile Court and the sheriff’s office on Friday, Oct. 18. But his goal at that point was to ensure discussions continued. 

“My message on Friday, when I talked to both sides, was we all need to figure out a way to get in the room, whether it’s a facilitated conversation or not,” Harris said. “I’m hopeful that both sides are going to be able to agree to get in the room.”

Members of the Shelby County Commission also tried to help resolve the conflict earlier in the year but ultimately didn’t make any headway. Shelby County Commissioner Henri Brooks even said recently she is now trying to get the U.S. Department of Justice involved. 

Since last week, SCSO has remained true to its position on transportation. Instead of delinquency hearings being held Downtown at Juvenile Court, they are being conducted at the Oakhaven juvenile detention center now and for the foreseeable future. 

“At this point, the hearings will go on at the YJEC for the time being,” said Erica Evans, chief judicial officer with the Juvenile Court. 

Likewise, SCSO maintains it will hand over operations of the juvenile detention center, and the target transition date is quickly approaching.