Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) celebrated on Thursday after Shelby County General Session Court Bill Anderson announced his resignation, confirming he will leave the judicial bench on March 1.
Anderson was previously the subject of complaints by Taylor to the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct (BJC), initially for declaring his “detest” for the Volunteer State’s bond and bail system, and more recently for releasing a man from jail despite the defendant being accused of firing a gun at a Memphis FedEx facility, citing the defendant’s ability to pay bail, despite Tennessee legislation that specifically prohibits judges from considering the financial circumstances of a suspect.
Taylor shared in a post to the social media platform X images of two letters, the first sent on December 26 by the BJC to inform the senator they “anticipate an announcement in the coming days that will prevent additional issues from arising in the future.”
The second image is Anderson’s resignation letter to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, informing her of his intention to resign on March 1.
“When I was re-elected in 2022, it was the plan for both my wife and I to retire in 2025,” Anderson stated in his resignation. “I will not ever run for, nor accept an appointment as a Judge in the future. At age seventy-one, my work is done.”
While the outgoing judge suggested his retirement was planned for more than two years, Taylor wrote on X that Anderson “clearly saw the writing on the wall with my latest complaint.”
Taylor wrote, “He was placing dangerous people back on the streets by misapplying my law requiring safety of the community be the first consideration when setting bail,” and warned, “The General Assembly will not hesitate to remove rogue judges or DA’s who refuse to follow the law, and I know Rogue Judge Anderson knew his fate when the legislature reconvenes later this month.”
The state senator argued on X that Anderson’s decision to resign will compel other Tennessee judges and district attorneys to follow laws aimed at increasing public safety.
“Public officials who work in the criminal justice system are put on notice: Follow the law as written by the legislature so we can tackle our crime challenge or face consequences allowed under Tennessee’s constitution,” said Taylor.
Anderson previously faced a call for his resignation from as the head of the county’s judicial magistrates by Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright, who said last April, “We need leadership change and we need people who are willing to keep the public safe.”
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “State Sen Brent Taylor” by State Sen Brent Taylor and “Judge Bill Anderson” is by Bill Anderson.
We have quite a swamp here in TN that needs to be cleaned out. Maybe this is the start.