General Sessions Civil Court Judge Division 2

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Contest for General Sessions Civil Court Judge Division 2

general - Non-partisan - General Sessions Civil Court Judge Div 2

About this office

A general-sessions judge presides over a high-volume lower court — misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, small civil claims, and landlord-tenant matters. Many litigants appear without lawyers.

Term length: 8 years.

This role calls for

General-Sessions civil-court judge: hears civil claims under the statutory cap (currently $25,000), landlord-tenant cases, and small claims — high volume, often pro se litigants.
Judicial temperament: the willingness to listen, deliberate, and apply the law dispassionately to people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome.
Impartiality and ethics under the Tennessee Rules of Judicial Conduct, including disqualification when conflicts arise.
Working knowledge of the substantive and procedural law applied in the assigned court (cited per court below) and the published precedent that controls.
Docket management — moving cases efficiently while honoring due process and the time pressures that fall on litigants and witnesses.
Clear written and oral explanation of rulings, so the parties and the public can follow the reasoning.

Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.

Campaigns

Shayla Nicole Purifoy's nearly decade-long tenure as a Magistrate and Judicial Commissioner demonstrates direct experience with civil claims, evictions, and collections relevant to General Sessions Civil Court Division 2. Her background includes handling high-volume cases involving pro se litigants and applying procedural law in Shelby County. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or ethical controversy. Bio does not indicate prior appellate judicial experience or specific legislative drafting experience.

Marcy Ingram

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Marcy Ingram's biography shows she currently serves as a General Sessions Civil Court Judge for Division 2, presiding over civil suits and landlord-tenant cases since her September 2025 appointment. She previously worked as an attorney for the Shelby County Commission and Attorney's Office. The record contains no mention of disciplinary actions or controversies. Bio does not indicate prior judicial experience before 2025 or extensive trial litigation experience outside the county commission role.

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