← Back to Shelby County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-05-05
Contest for Circuit Court Clerk
County
Shelby County
primary - Partisan - Circuit Court Clerk
About this office
The Circuit Court Clerk maintains the records of the Circuit Court (civil cases above the General Sessions jurisdictional limit, appeals, and most civil trials). Duties include docketing and indexing cases, authenticating court orders and judgments, collecting court costs and fines, administering oaths to witnesses and jurors, and managing the clerk's office. The Circuit Court Clerk's office is at 140 Adams Avenue, Memphis.
Term length: 4 years.
This role calls for
- Maintains records of the Circuit Court (general civil-law trial court of general jurisdiction). In counties with a separate office, also typically responsible for jury management.
- Records management for the court served by this clerk's office, in conformity with Tennessee Rules of Civil/Criminal Procedure and the orders of the assigned judges.
- Working knowledge of the relevant court's docket, fee schedule, and pleading requirements.
- Financial controls for collecting and disbursing court costs, fines, restitution, bonds, and trust funds — with public accountability.
- Supervision of a clerical staff handling high case volume and frequent statutory deadlines.
- Administrative reliability — the office's filings are legally binding and its records are evidence.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Democratic Primary
1 candidate
Jamita E. Swearengen
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Serving as Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk since September 2022, the candidate directly maintains general civil-law trial court records and manages jury operations. This role requires working knowledge of docket procedures, fee schedules, and pleading requirements under Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure. As an elected official holding financial oversight responsibilities, the candidate exercises administrative reliability for legally binding filings and public accountability. Prior service as Memphis City Council Chair of Public Safety demonstrates supervision of high-volume statutory deadlines and complex administrative workflows.