Shayla Purifoy

Current office and 2026 campaign

Magistrate Shayla Purifoy currently serves in her judicial capacity and is running for election as Judge of General Sessions Civil Court Division 2 in Shelby County, Tennessee ². Her campaign committee, the Committee to Elect Shayla Purifoy, promotes a platform centered on fairness, impartiality, and respect, with the slogan "Proven with Purifoy" ². Purifoy describes herself as prepared for the role based on nearly a decade of judicial experience, noting that her background includes handling evictions, personal injury cases, collections, and emergency mental health commitments ¹⁰.

The 2026 election cycle includes a primary period from July 17 to August 1, with the general election scheduled for August 6, 2026 ⁴⁶. Purifoy is seeking to succeed Judge Phyllis B. Gardner, who retired from Division 2 and endorsed Purifoy’s candidacy ¹⁴. The Commercial Appeal noted that while many Shelby County races would face challengers in the August general election, several were effectively settled during the May primary period ³.

Campaign activities have included community engagement events such as "Conversations on the Veranda" and meet-and-greets in neighborhoods like Douglass North Memphis ⁷¹¹. Purifoy has received endorsements from notable local figures, including long-serving Shelby County Commissioner Walter Bailey- and retired Judge Phyllis B. Gardner ⁴¹⁴. The campaign continues to solicit volunteer support and financial contributions through its official website and social media channels as the election approaches ⁸¹³.

Background and education

Shayla Nicole Purifoy is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, where she grew up in the Frayser neighborhood ⁵. She attended Memphis Central High School before pursuing higher education at Rhodes College and the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law ⁵. During her time at Rhodes College, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Urban Studies ¹². She subsequently received her Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis ¹².

Career

Purifoy earned a Bachelor of Arts in urban studies from Rhodes College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law ⁵. She began her legal career providing free civil legal representation through Memphis Area Legal Services ⁵. In 2016, she was appointed as a Judicial Commissioner by the Board of Shelby County Commissioners, a role in which she arraigned defendants, decided order of protection hearings, and set bonds ¹¹.

Purifoy served as a Magistrate on General Sessions Civil Court Division 2 in Shelby County for nearly a decade prior to her current campaign ². In this capacity, she presided over cases involving evictions, personal injury, collections, and emergency mental health commitments ¹⁰. Her judicial record includes the opinion Shayla Nicole Purifoy v. Devine Mafa, issued by the Tennessee Court of Appeals in 2017 ¹.

A recipient of the Top 40 Under 40 Urban Elite Professionals award in 2019, Purifoy has been active in professional organizations such as the Historically African American Bar Association ¹². She is a Memphis native who grew up in the Frayser neighborhood and attended Memphis Central High School ⁵.

Office history

Shayla Nicole Purifoy was appointed as a Judicial Commissioner by the Board of Shelby County Commissioners in 2016 ¹². In this role, she arraigned defendants, decided order of protection hearings, and set bonds ¹². She later served as a Magistrate for General Sessions Civil Court, Division 2, in Shelby County, Tennessee ². During her tenure as Magistrate, Purifoy handled cases involving evictions, personal injury, collections, and emergency mental health commitments ¹⁰.

Purifoy is currently running to be elected as the Judge of General Sessions Civil Court, Division 2. The general election for this position is scheduled for August 6, 2026, with early voting occurring from July 17 through August 1 ⁴⁶. As of today, the outcome of this election is unknown.

Legislative record and accomplishments

As a sitting Magistrate and Judicial Commissioner for Shelby County, Purifoy’s legislative record is not applicable, as these are judicial rather than legislative offices ¹². In her role as a Judicial Commissioner appointed by the Board of Shelby County Commissioners in 2016, she arraigned defendants, decided order of protection hearings, and set bonds ¹². As Magistrate for General Sessions Civil Court Division 2, she presides over civil matters including evictions, personal injury cases, collections, and emergency mental health commitments ², ¹⁰.

Purifoy has not sponsored legislation or served on legislative committees during her judicial tenure. Her professional focus has centered on judicial administration and community engagement rather than statutory lawmaking. She self-describes her approach as demonstrating fairness, impartiality, and understanding, asserting that everyone deserves to be treated with respect ². During her campaign for the judgeship, she has emphasized her "nearly a decade of judicial experience" as a key qualification for the role ¹⁰.

Family

Magistrate Purifoy is married to Fish Moges ⁹. Her mother is Angela Barksdale ⁷.

Sources