The Criminal Courts Division officers are responsible for providing a safe courtroom environment for judges, court personnel, attorneys, and the general public.
Their responsibilities include protecting the judge, maintaining proper order in the courtroom and promptly obeying all lawful orders and instructions of the court. The ten (10) Divisions of Criminal Court are located in the Criminal Justice Complex, 201 Poplar Avenue. The ten (10) Criminal Courts combined handle on the average 207,378 cases and 27,860 inmates per year.
An average of fifty (50) jury trials per year are sequestered, which are high profile in nature. During these trials extra security personnel and equipment were added in an effort to protect the integrity of the courts and jurors.
The Criminal Courts Division is staffed by thirty (30) court officers, (1) one lieutenant, (3) three sergeants and (2) two clerical specialists.
View a Photo Gallery of Our Historic “Old Courthouse”
Criminal Court Judges
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- Division 1—Paula Skahan
- Division 2—Glenn Wright
- Division 3—Bobby Carter
- Division 4—Carolyn Wade Blackett
- Division 5—James M. Lammey, Jr.
- Division 6—John Campbell
- Division 7—Lee Coffee
- Division 8—Chris Craft
- Division 9—Mark Ward
- Division 10—Jennifer Mitchell
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General Sessions Criminal Courts
The General Sessions Criminal Courts are comprised of (9) Criminal Courts.. Divisions 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 handle misdemeanor cases; one (1) court handles felony cases each month. Felony court rotates among these courts on a monthly basis. No jury trials are held in General Sessions Criminal Courts. The General Sessions Criminal Courts also handles issuance of ExParte Orders of Protection and hearings on Orders of Protection.
Some courts are established to handle special types of criminal offenses as described below. All courts open at 9:00 am, except as noted. The Criminal Justice Center, 201 Poplar, houses all of the General Sessions and Criminal Courts
Division 8 - Drug Court
The Shelby County Drug Court, Division 8, authorizes drug treatment as an alternative to jail time for non-violent offenders. Under the guidance of Judge Tim Dwyer, the Drug Court keeps individuals in treatment, while supervising them closely. The program is a minimum term of one year. Participants are provided with intensive treatment and other services they require to get and stay clean and sober. They are held accountable by Judge Dwyer for meeting their obligations to the court, society, themselves, and their families. Participants are regularly and randomly tested for drug use. They are required to appear in court frequently for Judge Dwyer to review their progress and are rewarded for doing well or sanctioned when not fulfilling their obligations.
The Drug Court has graduated over 2,000 participants since its inception in 1997. Upon successful completion of the program, if eligible the defendant can have the case dismissed and expunged from the record.
Division 14 - Traffic & Environmental Court
Judge Patrick Dandridge is the presiding Judge for the traffic & Environmental Court, General Sessions, Division 14. This Court has traffic dockets everyday at 9:00 and 10:30 on the second floor of 201 Poplar Avenue. Environmental dockets are at 9:00, 10:30 and 1:30, and hears cases involving four major areas of the law: Health Code violations, Housing Code violations, Fire Code violations, and Building and Zoning Code violations. Public Nuisance cases and animal control cases are also heard. Code Enforcement inspectors and Memphis Police officers usually bring these cases to court
Division 14 - Satellite Court Meetings | Community Locations
- Frayser at Cunningham Community Center 3773 Old Allen, the third Tuesday of each month at 1:30 pm.
- Whitehaven Environmental Community Court at 4225 Airways Blvd., near the Airport, every fourth Thursday of the month at 1:30 pm.
- Memphis Crosstown at 1115 Union Avenue, 38104 every fourth Tuesday of the month at 1:30 pm.
- Hickory Hill Court Community Center at 3910 Ridgeway Rd. 38115, (Hickory Hill Community Center), the second Thursday of the month at 1:30pm.
- Cordova Community at Appling Farms Precinct, 6850 Appling Farms Pkwy, 38133 the third Thursday of the month at 1:30pm.
Environmental Courts cases are heard on the 10th floor at 201 Poplar Avenue.
Contact Info
Criminal Courts Clerk
201 Poplar Avenue
4th Floor
Phone: (901) 222-3200
General Sessions Criminal Courts Clerk
201 Poplar Avenue
LL-81
Phone: (901) 222-3500
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