There are 24 article(s) tagged Tarik Sugarmon:

• March 2026

  • Changes to county juvenile detention include uniforms and toothbrushes

    The change in who runs the detention center on a daily basis began this past October — about the time the Memphis Safe Task Force began operations locally.

    By Bill Dries March 28, 2026

• January 2025

  • County mayor, judge say they have plan to take over juvenile-detention center

    Mayor Lee Harris and Judge Tarik Sugarmon talk on “Behind The Headlines” about the compromise they have taken to Sheriff Floyd Bonner about administration of the county’s juvenile-detention center.

    By Bill Dries January 25, 2025

• November 2024

  • Forum addresses issues for youth in an ‘adversarial’ justice system

    The town hall addressed two issues before the Shelby County Commission. One would help in expunging juvenile records. while the other would require recording and legal representation for youth during questioning by law enforcement.

    By Aarron Fleming November 22, 2024

• July 2024

  • Juvenile Court Judge Sugarmon talks perceptions versus reality

    Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon addressed the divide between what the data shows and what the community is feeling Wednesday, July 3, on the WKNO-TV program “Behind The Headlines.”

    By Aarron Fleming July 08, 2024

• June 2023

  • Juvenile Court wants almost $5M for ‘rapid engagement’ strategy

    The new county funding would be for 40 new counselors with the goal of preventing a “cross over” of children coming to the court for child welfare issues and then moving to delinquent behavior.

    By Bill Dries June 14, 2023

• January 2023

  • Community leaders, stakeholders to discuss solutions to juvenile crime

    “It’s hard for me to go to the grocery store or a restaurant or church without somebody approaching me, expressing concern about juvenile crime,” said Bill Gibbons, president of the Crime Commission. “People are upset about it in this community.”

    By Julia Baker January 05, 2023

• August 2022

  • District Attorney-elect Steve Mulroy urges patience at swearing-in ceremony

    Mulroy, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Republican Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich in the Aug. 4 general election.

    By Julia Baker August 31, 2022

  • Incoming Juvenile Court judge names chief magistrate

    Native Memphian Aftan Strong will lead the group of judges that will hear cases on a daily basis in the court.

    By Bill Dries August 31, 2022

  • Sanford: As Sugarmon assumes Juvenile Court judgeship, a different history begins

    Tarik Sugarmon ushers in a new era for Juvenile Court in Memphis and Shelby County.

    By Otis Sanford August 31, 2022

  • Ballot taking shape for Nov. 8 election

    The Shelby County Election Commission meets Monday, Aug. 22, to certify the August election results, including winners of the state and federal primaries from that ballot.

    By Bill Dries August 25, 2022

  • Tarik Sugarmon announces transition team

    Sugarmon, who unseated Dan Michael in the Aug. 4 election, is the first African American to be elected as Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge. He will take office Sept. 1. 

    By Julia Baker August 25, 2022

  • Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael defeated as City Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon wins highly contested race

    Several other judges, including two in General Sessions Criminal Court, were either upset in the incomplete results or were in danger of being upset. Meanwhile, voters filled eight court seats to which incumbents did not seek reelection this year, including four divisions of Criminal Court.

    By Bill Dries August 05, 2022

  • Shelby County juvenile charges spike in first half of 2022

    From January to June this year, there were 483 charges against violent juvenile offenders, compared to 298 in the first half last year. 

    By Julia Baker August 05, 2022

  • Harris, Mulroy, Halbert claim early vote, term limits extension losing

    The early and absentee votes are the first to be counted once the polls are closed. The numbers here are the early vote only with separate totals not posted yet on absentee votes.

    By Bill Dries August 04, 2022

• June 2022

  • Juvenile Court Judge challenger says voters won’t ‘buy into’ change in incumbent’s outlook on juvenile justice

    On “Behind The Headlines,” Memphis City Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon said Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael’s appearance on the show a week earlier looks like a change in Michael’s attitude toward juvenile justice reform but isn’t. 

    By Bill Dries June 21, 2022

  • Judge touts ‘incredible changes’ in Juvenile Court system, his own outlook

    Dan Michael makes the case on “Behind The Headlines” for court reforms and changes in the police interactions with Black children. It’s a very different view than the one he took five years ago.

    By Bill Dries June 11, 2022

• May 2022

  • Sanford: Time to start paying attention to campaign for Juvenile Court judge

    The battles for district attorney and county mayor will get most of the headlines, but the race to determine who oversees judicial proceedings at Juvenile Court is the most important overall to the community.

    By Otis Sanford May 26, 2022

• January 2022

  • Political Roundup: Sugarmon opens for Juvenile Court Judge as races heat up

    Candidates who won’t be on the ballot until August are actively campaigning along with those in partisan races whose first hurdle is the May county primaries.

    By Bill Dries January 18, 2022

  • Sugarmon to run again for Juvenile Court Judge

    Memphis City Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon will run against incumbent Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael. Meanwhile, Marcus Mitchell is running for Juvenile Court Clerk County Commissioner Brandon Morrison is running in a new district.

    By Bill Dries January 05, 2022

• January 2021

  • Civil rights pioneer Miriam DeCosta-Willis dies at 86

    Dr. Miriam DeCosta-Willis, a civil rights pioneer and champion of gender and racial equality, has died at age 86. 

    By Daja E. Henry January 07, 2021

• December 2020

  • DeCosta-Willis honored as first Black faculty member at then-Memphis State

    The University of Memphis unveiled plans Monday, Dec. 14, for a plaque honoring Miriam DeCosta Sugarmon Willis, the school’s first African American faculty member. 

    By Bill Dries December 14, 2020

• August 2020

  • Memphis municipal courts shut down over coronavirus concerns

    Memphis municipal courts announced Thursday the suspension of all in-person court cases because of COVID-19 concerns. Officials cited the high volume of people coming to the Walter Bailey Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar. 

    By Yolanda Jones August 27, 2020

• July 2019

  • Memphis election filing deadline nears

    The Thursday noon filing deadline could see a 10- to 16-candidate race for mayor. And 10 City Council members have filed for new four-year terms at City Hall.

    By Bill Dries July 17, 2019

• February 2019

  • Sugarmon was part of political vanguard, legal challenge to segregation

    Russell Sugarmon, civil rights icon, political strategist and retired judge who fought racial injustice in his hometown of Memphis, dies at 89.

    By Bill Dries, Yolanda Jones February 19, 2019