Happy New Year Shelby County Community,

Welcome to 2026! As your General Sessions Court Clerk, I am excited to continue serving our incredible community and building on the positive momentum we've generated in 2025.

This year, we have many initiatives planned to make your experience with the court more accessible and efficient. We’ll be introducing customer service kiosks to streamline services and provide faster assistance. We’re also offering a schedule of reimagined community engagement events to continue helping our citizens better understand our courts and access justice.

Our work with the Interagency Operations Justice Workgroup (IJOW) will continue as we enhance the IJOW Dashboard, giving you even greater access to our data about arrests, citations, and warrants in Shelby County.

And most importantly, our dedicated staff is energized and ready to serve you. Their commitment to excellence ensures that every interaction with our office reflects our shared values of fairness, innovation, and respect.

Together, we will make 2026 a year of progress and possibility. I am reinvigorated and excited to get to work! Our entire office is wishing you and your loved ones a joyful start to the new year!

In Service,

Tamara A. Sawyer

Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk

Holiday Food Drive Delivers Hope and Nourishment to Shelby County Families

This holiday season, the General Sessions Civil Division Team partnered with General Sessions Judges and our Community Engagement team to host the General Sessions Civil Division Holiday Food Drive with the goal of helping Shelby County families in need.

This past December, we collected essential meal items and assembled more than 50 fully stocked food boxes for clients impacted by eviction and housing instability. Thank you to all of our General Sessions Team who donated and packed boxes for our community.

Filing Fees Increased January 2026

Effective January 1, 2026, filing fees for certain General Sessions Court cases will change under House Bill no. 487.

Visit our website at shelbygeneralsessions.com to view updated filing fees and additional information.

Revisit our #OneYearOfImpact Video

2025 was a transformative year for our office. Learn more about our achievements from the previous year and stay tuned for more impactful stories from the General Sessions Court Clerk's Office!

Revisit the Video

🍿Celebrating our Pop Out Award Winner🏆

Pictured: (L) - Tiara Swan, (R): Tiara Swan, 24 Hour Arrest to Bail Director Marjorie Williams

Congratulations Pop Out Award Winner Tiara Swan!

Tiara, who works in the Clerk's 24-Hour Bail & Release office, exemplifies the dedication, caring approach, and professionalism that helps the General Sessions Court Clerk's Office serve our community with excellence. Tiara's problem-solving skills also earn her rave reviews from our clients and customers.

Thank you for everything you do, Tiara!

December Birthdays

Join General Sessions in celebrating our January team birthdays:

Antoinette Garmon - January 10

Brittany Tarton - January 10

Tracey White - January 12

Kyona Draper - January 16

Tina Stewart-Robinson - January 22

Latonya Jefferson - January 25

Sheila Edwards - January 26

Talesa Dickerson - January 28

Marjorie Williams - January 29

Gerinisha Summerall - January 30

Pamela Webster - January 31

Happy Birthday to our General Sessions Court Clerk's Office Teammates!

What Our Customers Say

Pictured: Deputy Court Clerk II Colleen Nelson

"Ms. Nelson was absolutely wonderful! She found out exactly what I needed to know and took care of everything.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Customer Review, January 2026

Events and Key Dates

Level Up For Your Future: Expungement Clinic and Job Fair Coming January 31!

The General Sessions Court Clerk’s Office invites Shelby County residents in need of misdemeanor expungements or employment opportunities to level up at our free Level Up Expungement Clinic and Job Fair on Saturday, January 31, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the Hollywood Community Center (1560 N Hollywood St, Memphis, TN 38108).

This event offers community members the chance to work with expungement clerks to remove eligible misdemeanors from their record and connect with community organizations actively hiring.

Learn More about the Level Up Expungement Clinic

Court Schedule Updates

All Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk’s Offices will be closed Monday, January 19 in recognition of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday.

General Sessions Civil Court will be closed from Monday, January 19. Court will resume Tuesday, January 20 at 10:00 AM.

General Sessions Criminal Court will be open on Monday, January 19 for holiday court starting at 9 am.

Arraignments will be held in Division 11
Bail Hearings will be held in Division 15
Attorney consultation will be held in Division 12.

The Clerk's 24-Hour Bail & Release Office will remain open for the holiday.

Visit our Calendar

Explore the IJOW Dashboard

The Interagency Justice Operations Workgroup (IJOW) Dashboard, powered by the General Sessions Court Clerk's Office in partnership with local justice agencies and the University of Memphis, provides transparent data on arrests, citations, court processing, and warrants. Click below to explore our justice system data.

Explore the Dashboard

Public Records Requests

Shelby County citizens have the right to access certain types of public records through the Tennessee Records Act. If you've ever needed access to public records but didn't know where to start, contact us!

Click below or call (901) 222-3585 for more information.

Public Records Requests

Expungement Resources

Expungement is the legal erasure of certain criminal records. Wondering if you or someone you know may qualify for expungement?

Click below or call (901) 222-0303 for more information.

Expungement Resources

If you have questions about court processes, need assistance with court documents, or just need to speak with someone in our office, please don't hesitate to reach out. Our hours of operation are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Here’s how you can contact us:

Phone: (901) 222-3400
Website: www.shelbygeneralsessions.com

In-Person:

Judge D’Army Bailey Courthouse
140 Adams, Rm 106 Memphis, TN

Walter L. Bailey, Jr. Criminal Justice Center 201 Poplar, LL-81 Memphis, TN

Satellite Offices:

Mullins Station
1075 Mullins Station Road Rm W115
Memphis, TN 38134
Southbrook Mall
1254 East Shelby Drive, Suite 270
Memphis, TN 38116

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