{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Javier Bailey, II","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJavier Bailey II is a candidate for Criminal Court Judge, Division 8 (unexpired term) in the 2026 Tennessee election.\n","firstname":"Javier","lastname":"Bailey","middlename":null,"suffix":"II","token":"WBo320waFm"},"token":"javier_bailey_ii"},{"candidatename":"Ruchee Patel","chatgptsummary":"Ruchee Patel's biography shows extensive experience as a criminal-defense attorney in Shelby County courts, handling felony cases involving drug trafficking, firearms, and white-collar crimes. She is admitted to the Tennessee Supreme Court and federal appellate courts, demonstrating working knowledge of relevant substantive and procedural law. No controversy or disciplinary record appears in the provided text. Bio does not indicate prior judicial experience or specific docket management history as a presiding judge.","notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nRuchee J. Patel is one of seven candidates for Criminal Court Judge Division VIII (District 30, unexpired term) on the August 6, 2026 Shelby County ballot [1]. The race is non-partisan. She is 44 and lives in Memphis [5].\n\nPatel is a criminal-defense attorney at Donati Law, PLLC in Memphis and previously practiced under the name 901Law [2][3]. She regularly appears in Shelby County and West Tennessee courts and is admitted to the Tennessee Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit [3]. Her practice has included drug-trafficking, firearms, RICO, mail fraud, and white-collar defense [3].\n\n## Background and education\nPatel holds a BS in marketing from the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville [2][3]. She earned her JD from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 2007 [2][3].\n\n## Career\nSuper Lawyers has named Patel a Rising Star [4]. She has been included in the Memphis Bar Association's Leadership Forum and serves on the boards of the Memphis Bar Association, the Tennessee Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and Playhouse on the Square [2].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [2026 State and County Sample Ballot \u2014 Shelby County Election Commission](https://www.electionsshelbytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-State-and-Federal-Primary-and-State-County-Sample-GEN.pdf)\n- [2] [Ruchee J. Patel \u2014 Donati Law](https://www.donatilaw.com/our-team/ruchee-j-patel/)\n- [3] [Attorney Ruchee J. Patel \u2014 901Law](https://choose901law.com/about/ruchee-patel/)\n- [4] [Ruchee Patel \u2014 Super Lawyers profile](https://profiles.superlawyers.com/tennessee/memphis/lawyer/ruchee-patel/7e373d29-6a16-414f-927c-e9f6d0c10f1f.html)\n- [5] TN voter registration file, accessed 2026-07-02\n","firstname":"Ruchee","lastname":"Patel","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"vLNdckUqxB"},"token":"ruchee_patel"},{"candidatename":"David \"Hawk\" Allen","chatgptsummary":"David \"Hawk\" Allen's biography shows relevant experience as an Assistant Public Defender handling felony cases from indictment through jury trial in Shelby County courts. He holds a law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and completed graduate studies in criminal justice. The biography documents no controversies or disciplinary records. Bio does not indicate prior judicial experience or docket management experience.","notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"David \"Hawk\" Allen is one of seven candidates for Criminal Court Judge Division VIII (District 30, unexpired term) on the August 6, 2026 Shelby County ballot [1][2]. The race is non-partisan. He is 49 and lives in Memphis [4].\n\n## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nAllen serves as an Assistant Public Defender in the Direct Representation Unit at the Shelby County Public Defender's Office [3]. DRU attorneys handle misdemeanor and felony cases from General Sessions through grand jury indictment and jury trial, representing indigent clients throughout the process [3].\n\n## Background and education\n\nAllen holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology and creative writing and completed a graduate program in criminal justice before earning his JD from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law [3]. During law school he volunteered pro bono hours toward criminal-record expungement services for Memphis residents [3].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [2026 State and County Sample Ballot \u2014 Shelby County Election Commission](https://www.electionsshelbytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-State-and-Federal-Primary-and-State-County-Sample-GEN.pdf)\n- [2] [Candidates Certified for August 6, 2026 Election \u2014 Shelby County Election Commission](https://www.electionsshelbytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Candidates-Certified-for-August-6-2026-Primary-and-General-Election-Updated-4-14-26.pdf)\n- [3] [HawkAllen.com \u2014 campaign site](https://hawkallen.com/)\n- [4] TN voter registration file, accessed 2026-07-02","firstname":"David","lastname":"Allen","middlename":"\"Hawk\"","suffix":null,"token":"8mdqFr27nu"},"token":"david_hawk_allen"},{"candidatename":"John L. Dolan","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJohn L. Dolan is a candidate for Criminal Court Judge, Division 8 (unexpired term) in the 2026 Tennessee election.\n","firstname":"John","lastname":"Dolan","middlename":"L.","suffix":null,"token":"mmjO1LjQ4Z"},"token":"john_l_dolan"},{"candidatename":"Latonya Sue Burrow","chatgptsummary":"Burrow's biography shows she is a criminal-defense attorney in Memphis with repeated experience running for Shelby County judicial seats since 2010. The record documents three prior election losses but contains no evidence of disciplinary action or ethical violations. Bio does not indicate prior experience as a trial judge presiding over felony cases or managing a criminal court docket.","notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nLatonya Sue Burrow is one of seven candidates for Criminal Court Judge Division VIII (District 30, unexpired term) on the August 6, 2026 Shelby County ballot [1]. The race is non-partisan. She is 62 and lives in Memphis [4].\n\nBurrow is a criminal-defense attorney in Memphis [2][3].\n\n## Office history\nBurrow has been a repeated candidate for the Shelby County bench. In August 2010 she ran for the 30th Judicial District Criminal Court Division 3 and lost to Judge J. Robert Carter, receiving 24.7 percent of the vote [5]. She ran again for the same seat in the August 2014 general election, again against Carter, and received 41.6 percent [5]. In November 2022 she ran in a special election for Division 2 of the Memphis Municipal Court and lost the general [5].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [2026 State and County Sample Ballot \u2014 Shelby County Election Commission](https://www.electionsshelbytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-State-and-Federal-Primary-and-State-County-Sample-GEN.pdf)\n- [2] [Latonya Sue Burrow \u2014 Avvo profile](https://www.avvo.com/attorneys/38111-tn-latonya-burrow-1710474.html)\n- [3] [Latonya Sue Burrow \u2014 Lawyers.com profile](https://www.lawyers.com/memphis/tennessee/latonya-sue-burrow-1610935-a/)\n- [4] TN voter registration file, accessed 2026-07-02\n- [5] [Latonya Burrow \u2014 Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Latonya_Burrow)\n","firstname":"Latonya","lastname":"Burrow","middlename":"Sue","suffix":null,"token":"zARTxUVSLp"},"token":"latonya_sue_burrow"},{"candidatename":"Katie Ratton","chatgptsummary":"Katie Ratton's biography shows relevant experience as a former Assistant District Attorney and Assistant Public Defender in Shelby County, alongside current service as an Assistant City Attorney for Memphis. These roles suggest familiarity with criminal procedure and courtroom dynamics required for presiding over felony cases. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior judicial experience or specific docket management history in a trial court setting.","notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"Katie Ratton (Katherine Ratton) is one of seven candidates for Criminal Court Judge Division VIII (District 30, unexpired term) on the August 6, 2026 Shelby County ballot [1]. The race is non-partisan. She is 46 and lives in Memphis [3].\n\n## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nRatton is an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Memphis [2]. She previously served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Shelby County District Attorney's Office and as an Assistant Public Defender at the Shelby County Public Defender's Office [2].\n\n## Background and education\n\nRatton holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Kansas and a Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law [2].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [2026 State and County Sample Ballot \u2014 Shelby County Election Commission](https://www.electionsshelbytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-State-and-Federal-Primary-and-State-County-Sample-GEN.pdf)\n- [2] [Katherine Ratton \u2014 professional profile via ZoomInfo](https://www.zoominfo.com/p/Katherine-Ratton/2448326738)\n- [3] TN voter registration file, accessed 2026-07-02","firstname":"Katie","lastname":"Ratton","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"gg4LxQu7Jd"},"token":"katie_ratton"},{"candidatename":"Joe Ozment","chatgptsummary":"Joe Ozment's thirty-year criminal defense practice and Rule 13 capital case qualification demonstrate relevant trial experience for presiding over felony cases in Shelby County Criminal Court Division VIII. His leadership roles in criminal defense organizations suggest familiarity with local legal procedures and ethical standards. The biography notes a prior unsuccessful judicial campaign in 2022 but contains no record of disciplinary action or controversies. Bio does not indicate prior judicial experience or specific docket management history.","notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJoseph Scott Ozment is a candidate for Shelby County Criminal Court Judge, Division VIII (30th Judicial District), in the nonpartisan unexpired-term election on August 6, 2026 [1]. The seat is open because longtime Division VIII judge Chris Craft, who has served since 1994, is retiring; a Daily Memphian report counted eight candidates certified for the race [2].\n\n## Career\nOzment has practiced law in Memphis for more than 30 years, since earning his J.D. from the University of Memphis's Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1992 [3]. His practice focuses on criminal defense, family law, and bankruptcy [1]. He is Rule 13-qualified under the Tennessee Supreme Court's rules to represent defendants in capital cases and has tried cases in state and federal court, with appeals before the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, the Tennessee Supreme Court, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals [1][3]. He is a past president of the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Memphis Bar Association's Criminal Law Section, and the Shelby County Drug Court Foundation [1]. In 1996 he received the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' Robert W. Richie Award, and in 2013 the organization's Work Horse Award [3].\n\n## Office history\nThis is not Ozment's first campaign for the Criminal Court bench. He ran for Division II in the August 4, 2022 general election and was defeated by Jennifer Fitzgerald in a five-candidate field [4]. He also filed for a special election for Division IX in 2024, but that election was cancelled after the legislature eliminated the position before the vote [5].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Joe Ozment for Judge](https://ozmentforjudge.com/) (campaign site) - accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [Eight candidates certified for Criminal Court judicial race](https://dailymemphian.com/article/63975) - Daily Memphian\n[3] [Joseph S. Ozment](https://josephozmentlaw.com/about-joseph-s-ozment/) - Law Office of Joseph S. Ozment, PLLC\n[4] [The ultimate guide to the judicial races on the August ballot](https://dailymemphian.com/article/29800/memphis-area-judicial-races-on-august-ballot) - Daily Memphian, 2022 cycle\n[5] Four candidates apply for former Judge Melissa Boyd's seat - Daily Memphian (paywalled; election-cancellation fact reflects secondary reporting as of 2026-07-06)\n","firstname":"Joe","lastname":"Ozment","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"PIbkVOA2lS"},"token":"joe_ozment"}],"choices":null,"description":"Special election to fill the unexpired term resulting from Judge Chris Craft's resignation on 2026-06-11. The winner serves the remainder of the original term ending 2030-09-01.","district":"shelby","districtgroup":"county","districtgroupname":"County","districtname":null,"job_type":"criminal_court_judge","o.office":"criminal_court_div_8","office":"criminal_court_div_8","officedescription":"A criminal court judge presides over felony criminal cases \u2014 pretrial motions, trials, and sentencing under Tennessee law. Decisions are subject to appellate review.","officequalities":"- Trial-court judge in Tennessee criminal court: presides over felony cases \u2014 indictments, pretrial motions, jury trials, sentencing under TCA Title 40.\n- Judicial temperament: the willingness to listen, deliberate, and apply the law dispassionately to people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome.\n- Impartiality and ethics under the Tennessee Rules of Judicial Conduct, including disqualification when conflicts arise.\n- Working knowledge of the substantive and procedural law applied in the assigned court (cited per court below) and the published precedent that controls.\n- Docket management \u2014 moving cases efficiently while honoring due process and the time pressures that fall on litigants and witnesses.\n- Clear written and oral explanation of rulings, so the parties and the public can follow the reasoning.","officeterm":8,"officetitle":"Criminal Court Div 8","partisan":0,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Criminal Court Judge Division 8 (unexpired)"}