Tennessee State Sen. Brent Taylor Celebrates Following Resignation of Judge Who ‘Detests’ State Bail System

State Senator Brent Taylor, Judge Bill Anderson

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.

Read the full story

Federal Judge Allows Enforcement of Tennessee Ban on ‘Restorative Justice’ Bail Policy, Prompts Celebration from State Senator

Gavel court judge order

State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) confirmed on Friday that enforcement of his legislation prohibiting Tennessee judges from considering a defendant’s ability to pay when setting their bail was allowed by a federal judge.

The judge made the decision despite determining the lawsuit brought by restorative justice organization Just City against Tennessee over the law will proceed.

Read the full story

Tennessee Judge will Resign After Being Suspended over Criminal Complaint, Jailed for Alleged Cocaine Use

Melissa Boyd

A criminally indicted Shelby County judge, who last week was jailed for her alleged cocaine use, has reportedly asked to resign from her public position.

Shelby County Judge Melissa Boyd asked to resign from her judgeship in a letter dated March 29, according to Fox 13, which reported that Boyd’s letter bears the signature of one of her criminal defense attorneys.

Read the full story

Memphis Judge Paula Skahan Reprimanded After She Illegally Freed Prisoner Serving 162-Year Sentence

Paula Skahan

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan was publicly reprimanded in a disciplinary action by the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct (TBJC) on Wednesday as a result of her actions that led to Tennessee briefly freeing a man in 2022 after he was previously sentenced to a 162-year prison sentence.

Skahan in 2022 arranged for the release of Courtney Anderson, who spent months outside of prison before Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge J. Ross Dyer ruled Skahan “illegally” released him and ordered Anderson remanded back into the state’s custody.

Read the full story

Shelby County Judge Bill Anderson Publicly Reprimanded by State Board After He Railed Against Bail, Belittled Police Sergeant

The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct (BJC) Shelby County General Sessions publicly reprimanded Judge Bill Anderson on Tuesday after he belittled a police sergeant and revealed his disdain for the “bail bond system” in Tennessee.

The BJC served Anderson the public reprimand after he declared his opposition to the concept of bail and bail bonding companies in September 2023, when the judge claimed bail bonding companies “don’t do anything but collect money from poor people” during a meeting of the Shelby County Commission, and declared, “I detest the bail bond system in Shelby County, I detest it across this state.”

Read the full story