TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jul 1, 2024

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft has removed General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Sheila Renfroe from 28 cases she is presiding over amid allegations of bias from Melody Carlisle, an assistant public defender handling the matters. The Daily Memphian reports that Craft found that Renfroe took actions that were “clearly indicative of personal animosity," but he did not permanently ban Renfroe from presiding over other cases handled by Carlisle. Renfroe oversees General Sessions Division 9, which serves as the Shelby County Mental Health Court. She reportedly has had several tense interactions with Carlisle over the past year, including threatening to arrest her. Carlisle also has alleged that Renfroe is imbalanced and a danger to the community.