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Retiring judge has ‘had enough’

By , Daily Memphian Published: June 29, 2025 4:00 AM CT

After 40 years in the criminal legal sphere, Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan is ready to hang it up.

“It’s very stressful. I’ve seen a lot,” she said. “Trying these cases now and handling the dockets we handle, … it’s a lot of stress.”

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Aarron Fleming

Aarron Fleming

Aarron Fleming covers Memphis and Shelby County’s court system and is a member of The Daily Memphian’s public safety reporting team. He formerly covered education and earned his B.A. in journalism from the University of Memphis.

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