These are misdemeanors, preliminary hearings on felonies, traffic and environmental cases. With a lead of more than 16,900 votes, Mulroy easily ousted Weirich 56%- 44%, according to unofficial results from the Shelby County Election Commission. An attorney in private practice, Johnson is also a U.S. Marine Corps advanced diesel mechanic who worked as a paralegal before becoming an attorney. A judicial commissionersince 2016. She then walked over to the man and smiled. District Attorney General County Mayor Shelby County Commissioner District 1 Shelby County Commissioner District 2 Shelby County Commissioner District 3 . General Sessions Court Clerk : P.O. So, Thomas Moore summoned a program representative from the office down the hall. He assumed office on May 20, 1997. Backers of the referendum the most vocal of whom are current city council members who could stay in office if the referendum passes argue that voters deserve the opportunity to vote for veteran elected officials. Box 217 He has also served as aSpecial Assistant United States Attorney. (No photo available). These general session civil court forms have been approved by the Tennessee Supreme Court as "universally acceptable as legally sufficient". Later, at her more subdued event in an old store in the Carrefour at Kirby Woods shopping center in Germantown, where all but a few supporters were white, Weirich spoke of her legacy without conceding (although Mulroy took her words to mean she was). Only subscribers can view or add comments. Aprivate attorney who primarily focuses on criminal defense. Why they arent (all referring), I really cant answer.. They never thought it would happen to them, she said. They have been matched with 70 clients in danger of eviction. Contact her at adrienne.martin@mlk50.com, Brittany Brown is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Its been really great to see the legal community, students, and attorneys rallying round this issue and doing what they can to help address what for many of our fellow Memphians and fellow Shelby County residents is a really dire situation., Eviction Settlement Program Helps Memphis Area Landlords, Tenants Weather Epidemic, Instructions for Successful Bar Applicants, Circuit, Criminal, Chancery, Business Courts & Three-Judge Panels, Court of Appeals - Internal Operating Procedures, CIRCUIT, CRIMINAL, CHANCERY & BUSINESS COURTS, ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON COMPOSITION OF JUDICIAL DISTRICTS. Where is the Civil Division of General Sessions Court Clerk's Office located? Shelby . Thomas Moore and Mitchell Sims referred every tenant MLK50 journalists observed them interact with, and Henderson referred some as well. (No photo available). And after court, many tenants told MLK50 they didnt understand what had happened. Chief Administrative Officer for the Shelby County Circuit Court Clerks Office since Sept. 2021 and a former Chief Administrative Officer of Criminal Court Clerks Office. Despite this large responsibility falling on General Sessions judges, their upcoming election has received little public scrutiny, whether measured in media attention or the size of yard signs. Counties. Ballot Basics: Early voting is July 15-30. MLK50 is also supported by these generous donors. And, like all judicial races in Tennessee, they are only elected once every eight years. They were very selective in where they signed a lease.. She said these disparities may not be apparent to the judges themselves but certainly are to most casual observers. Chris Craft. An assistant district attorney in the Shelby County District Attorneys Office since 1991. (No photo available). Its a win for all the grassroots criminal justice reform groups that have been pushing for this kind of change for years, out on their own without any support, until we came in. Watkins is the former administrator of the Shelby County Equal Opportunity Compliance office. Support independent journalism by making a tax-deductible donation today. General Sessions Criminal Court Division 12. This means that if the forms are filled out correctly that all Tennessee general sessions courts with civil jurisdiction must accept the forms. Its mandatory; its how we compensate society for the privilege of a law license.. Gerald Skahan. Despite large caseloads, he said he makes sure not to run his courtroom like a factory.. His application had been approved, the representative said, but the landlord rejected the payment, which the landlords lawyer in the courtroom confirmed. At the end of the hearing, an eviction judgment was granted against him but he and his son-in-law expressed gratitude for her help and patience. Lawrence Pivnick. If you think things are fair and just in this world, go sit in the General Sessions courtroom and watch what happens to the really poor people, Bullock said. In addition to their work negotiating settlements between tenants and landlords, the Eviction Settlement Program has also been successful in getting a number of eviction cases dismissed for violating provisions of the CARES Act. In broad terms, the judges who each receive a salary of more than $183,000 handle non-criminal cases that involve less than $25,000. The incumbent was elected to his position in 1990 and re-elected to full eight-year terms three times since then. She said many of the people she sees in court facing eviction are "just everyday working people" who suddenly find themselves in a precarious financial situation. Their judge might explain all the proceedings and connect them with the federal funding. How a Tennessee housing policy concentrates poverty, denies opportunity, A new, well-funded nonprofit will fight housing discrimination in Memphis, Its a job, but drag is family, drag is beautiful, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Being clear with tenants is the best way to be helpful while remaining impartial, said Vanessa Bullock, Housing Managing Attorney for West Tennessee Legal Services. Theincumbent, elected to the position in 2006. Before taking the bench, Montesi was an Assistant District Attorney, an assistant city attorney and city chief prosecutor in city court. An assistant district attorney for Shelby County for more than 29 years. I hope Im making a difference helping people realize the law is not intimidating, he said. Most of the judges didnt spend much time explaining how the proceedings work. First of all, theyre helping people in a meaningful way, she said. AShelby County judicial commissioner since 2009. The trial courts for criminal offenses all the way up to and including death penalty cases. The three divisions or parts of Chancery Court also hear civil cases and have some overlapping jurisdiction with Circuit Court. Password. Aprivate attorney who focuses primarily onstate and federal criminal defense issues but also handles a variety of civil litigation matters. Incumbent Judge James Lammey is not seeking reelection. Practiced as a solo attorney since 2012. They know about the program. Before the term limits referendum measure was added to the ballot, Strickland declined to say whether he would seek a third term. Before that, Jenkins worked in the General Sessions Court Clerks office as administrator of the civil divisions of that court. One of those consulted was Shelby County General Sessions Civil Court Judge Betty Thomas Moore, who presides over many eviction cases in her courtroom. A professor of law at the University of Memphis, Mulroy campaigned with the message of reform. The DOJ and the court entered into a memorandum of agreement and federal monitors observed the court until 2018.With President Donald Trumps election though, Republican county officials including Weirich and then-county mayor Mark Luttrell petitioned then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end the courts 2012 agreement to overhaul its practices, even though the court was not in full compliance with more than a third of the agreements 94 provisions.Michael, who is sometimes pictured wearing a bolo tie and a cowboy hat, made no secret of his disdain for federal intervention. General Sessions Civil Division Edward L.Stanton Jr. 140 Adams Ave. Room 106 (901)-222-3400 Search by person name, business name or case type Search for judgments against a person or business Display case information and activities Help for First Time Users Powered by ACS Web Technology Because I know what (the program) can do for our community, I make sure to refer to it all the time, every time.. Apr 2021 - Sep 20216 months. In practice this can mean negotiating a lower price for rent for a certain number of months or using money allocated from the federal CARES Act to cover some portion of missed rental payments. Copyright 2015-2018 Memphis Bar Association | All Rights Reserved. Danny Kail. Email him at Jacob.Steimer@mlk50.com. Michael R. McCusker. Registration is required. This has really been a very positive community response to a problem that is very palpable here in Memphis and Shelby County, Ramsey Mason said. 1254 East Shelby Drive Suite 270 Memphis, TN 38116 Phone: 901-222-3665. Criminal Court is a trial court and court of appeals for the county level General Sessions Criminal courts. Those courts hear other cases but specialize in certain kinds of cases that include recommendations for treatment and orders of protection as needed. She previously was a criminal trial public defender. Tatum has 25 years of trial experience. A lot of them still have mortgages on their properties. God has blessed me to be in a better position. The judicial races are further down the long ballot and dont get as much attention as the other races because of that position and a code of ethics that limits what those running for judge can say to get votes. He acknowledged the systems racial and income-based inequities, called for reform of the bail system and said youth transfer to adult courts should be a last resort. Theyre getting some mentoring from attorneys theyre working with, and theyre getting exposure to how different people practice law, which I think is a really important experience to have as a student.. Kenya Brooks. In Shelby County, the program has covered rent more than 20,000 times, to the tune of more than $56 million since launching in March 2021. And half Cobb, Thompson and Gardner didnt refer any tenants to the local Emergency Rental Assistance program, which has millions of dollars to help people at risk of losing their homes. Its a win for my campaign organization. Weirich focused on her longtime theme of pursuing the guilty and protecting the innocent the straightforward approach of law and order, crime and punishment. Phone: 901-222-3665 Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:15 pm Photos by Andrea Morales for MLK50. Henderson said she tries to consistently refer to the program unless its a tenants second time at court, in which case she assumes they were advised about the program on their first trip. Memphis City Court:City Court is not a court of record. Incumbent Judge Bobby Carter is not seeking reelection. I hope to earn their trust and respect in the months ahead.. The federal moratorium, however, ended near the end of July, which means that people can be evicted starting September 1, after they have been given a 30-day notice. Shelby County Probate Courts. Ballot Basics: Laying out the 2022 election year. Attorney who ran in 2014 for the division of General Sessions Criminal Court that is the environmental court. The General Sessions Court Clerks Office is responsible for the record keeping for the six civil divisions and nine criminal divisions in Shelby County, Tennessee. This was the summer and a lot of students were looking for opportunities to do some substantive legal work and also help out the Memphis community during this time of crisis, she said. Clients are put in contact with volunteer attorneys who then discuss potential resolutions with them. In addition, they are getting to know attorneys in the community by working with them. Early voting opens with Shelby Countys big ballot. Editors Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland initially said he would not seek a third term if the city charter were amended. For tenants who qualify, the program will cover up to 12 months of past-due rent and two months of future rent. This story is brought to you by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, a nonprofit newsroom focused on poverty, power and policy in Memphis. The General Sessions judges handle tens of thousands of eviction filings every year. Committed to serving the citizens of Shelby County and responding to the needs of local law enforcement with innovative, customer-focused, cost-effective solutions. In Shelby County, where Memphis is located, an individual wishing to file a small claims action does so in General Sessions Court, which hears cases under $25,000. Dan Michael:The incumbent is seeking a second term, billing himself as the judge who has brought reform to the court. The Shelby County Juvenile Court judge runs a $13 million operation that handles the cases of children who have been accused of criminal offenses. The judge appoints the magistrates who hear many of the cases, sets punishments and decides which cases to transfer to the adult criminal justice system when the District Attorney requests such a transfer. Principal of Cooper Law Firm LLC in Memphis. This division serves as the Domestic Violence Court. Wilson lost a bid for a full eight-year term to Chris Turner in a 2010 special election. Anderson won his first full eight-year term in 2014. After they agree they owe money or lose their trial, tenants have 10 days to vacate their homes unless they cut a deal with their landlord. Two of the nine General Sessions Criminal Court incumbent judges are not seeking new terms on the August ballot Tim Dwyer and Chris Turner. Those who introduced tenants to the program all told MLK50 they didnt see any reason not to provide such a helpful resource. Julian lost in the general election on August 4, 2022. Registration is required. They would much rather keep a good tenant in the property and do whatever they can within reason to keep that person there.. Attorney practicing law in Memphis for more than 30 years, most of that time litigating in the Shelby County General Sessions Courts. Assistant Public Defender leading the Forensic Litigation Team. Anattorney licensed in Tennessee, Arkansas and Pennsylvania who has run for numerous judicial positions over the years. Tarik Sugarmon: Memphis City Court judge who ran unsuccessfully for the position in 2014 on a reform platform. Victoria Gillard. All landlords are not big corporations that may be able to absorb some of the economic impact, she said. Ryan is the only judge Division 15 has had since its creation in 2000. These folks are anxious to get this information because that means their stuff is not going to be set out on the street, she said. Gadson William Perry. A lot of the landlords that come through are just regular folks who decided to get into real estate. The incumbent was elected in 2014. Supporters of Juvenile Court Judge candidate Tarik Sugarmon and Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, both of whom also won Thursday, were there, too. More than 150 races are on Shelby Countys Aug. 4 ballot, and some judges admitted that most voters will choose whether or not to reelect them based on little information. Hours Monday - Friday . We recommend using Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Safari for best results. Nevertheless, the races are important and the candidates are just as dogged in their pursuit of votes. After the measure was added, he announced he would seek a third term. The incumbent, was elected in 2006. Terrance Tatum. Same with Betty Thomas Moore shes very good about trying to explain as much as she can from the bench. Incumbent Judge John Campbell is now a state criminal appeals court judge. He didnt seem to fully grasp what she had said, so she explained it again in a slightly different way. After he hears agree, Cobb would say, You can talk to the resident manager about working out payments. Then he would move on to the next case. Supporters of all backgrounds Black, brown, immigrant, lifelong Memphians, young, old, differently abled talked happily over Aldos pizza, a full slate of catered food and an open bar. Senior prosecutor in the Shelby County District Attorneys Office and has practiced law for 18 years. But compared to Thompson, Cobbs cadence and demeanor were much more relaxed using folksy mannerisms and telling jokes in his deep Southern drawl other than when he yelled at a woman who didnt remove her mask when addressing him after he had instructed all tenants to do so. Criminal Court judges hear cases involving assault, burglary/theft, drugs, DUI, homicide, robbery, and other such criminal acts. Joe Townsend. Bill Lee in 2021. It includes Judicial Commissioners appointed by the Shelby County Commission to make decisions on bail and release of prisoners ahead of their first formal court appearances. (Tenants) know the (ERA) program is available, Cobb said. When making a judgment payment or garnishment payment to the Civil Division where do I send it? Foot traffic past Room 134, the office for help with Emergency Rental Assistance funds, is seen from a stairwell at the Shelby County Courthouse. Works alongside her father, Larry Fitzgerald, as a principal attorney at Fitzgerald, Harris and Fitzgerald representing clients in state and federal courts. Username. Best known for serving 17 years in the Tennessee State House and a single four-year term on the Memphis City Council as well as several bids for Memphis mayor. Everybody deserves to at least know whats going on and not be sitting in a room going, I dont know whats happening., Jacob Steimer is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Filing a lawsuit in Tennessee state court is complex and typically requires an attorney. All three incumbent Chancellors are seeking eight-year terms on the August ballot.