{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Serena Gray","chatgptsummary":"Serena Gray's two-decade career in Shelby County includes work as an assistant public defender and current service as a Magistrate handling misdemeanors, preliminary hearings, and traffic tickets. This background demonstrates direct experience with criminal court procedures and docket management relevant to the General Sessions Criminal Court Judge role. Bio does not indicate prior judicial rulings or specific appellate experience.","notes":"","party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nSerena Gray currently serves as a Magistrate [1]. She is running for General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Division 7 in Shelby County, Tennessee, representing the Republican party [1]. Gray officially launched her campaign on February 4 with an event at Mahogany River Terrace [1]. Her platform emphasizes strengthening the General Sessions Criminal Courts and promoting a \"New Way\" of service to the community [2][3].\n\n## Background and education\n\nSerena Gray is a magistrate in Shelby County who has self-identified as running for Judge of the General Sessions Criminal Court, Division 7 [1]. Specific details regarding her birthplace, year of birth, upbringing, religious affiliation, and educational background are not provided in the available source material.\n\n## Career\n\nSerena Gray is a Memphis native who has dedicated her career to serving Shelby County for two decades [4]. Her professional background includes work as an educator and an assistant public defender [4]. She currently serves as a Magistrate in Shelby County [1]. In this capacity, she acts as a Judicial Commissioner within the Criminal Division of the General Sessions Court, handling misdemeanors, preliminary hearings, and traffic tickets [6].\n\nGray is a graduate of White Station High School [4]. She has also engaged in public education regarding legal processes, such as explaining how search warrants work in media appearances [5].\n\n## Office history\n\nSerena Gray serves as a Magistrate in Shelby County [1]. She has self-described herself as running for Judge of the General Sessions Criminal Court, Division 7 [1].\n\nGray announced her campaign for the position of General Sessions Criminal Court Judge, Division 7 on February 4, with an event held at Mahogany River Terrace in Memphis [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Serena Gray - Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/61585885825307/posts/shelby-county-allow-me-to-introduce-myself-my-name-is-magistrate-serena-gray-and/122108126667196194/)\n[2] [So who is Magistrate Serena Gray?\u2026.I am so glad you asked. Take ...](https://www.instagram.com/p/DXcHglLjS2-/?hl=am-et)\n[3] [Serena Gray on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DTYWG_BkeCB/)\n[4] [New Way with Serena Gray](https://newwaywithserenagray.com/)\n[5] [Judge Serena Gray \u201cHow Search Warrants Work (Explained by a ...](https://www.facebook.com/ZTheOG/videos/judge-serena-gray-how-search-warrants-work-explained-by-a-judge-on-giving-out-fr/1525081905689682/)\n[6] [Staff Directory \u2022 Serena Gray - Shelby County Courts, TN](https://www.shelbygeneralsessions.com/directory.aspx?EID=69)","firstname":"Serena","lastname":"Gray","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"fFmVL7J0zT"},"token":"serena_gray"},{"candidatename":"Taylor Eskridge Bachelor","chatgptsummary":"Taylor E Bachelor's biography shows sixteen years of legal experience in state and federal prosecution and defense, alongside current service as a General Sessions Criminal Court Judge handling criminal cases since February 2025. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior elected office experience or specific judicial rulings on complex constitutional speedy-process obligations.","notes":"","party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nTaylor E Bachelor currently serves as a General Sessions Criminal Court Judge for Division 7 in Shelby County [1]. She was appointed to this position by Shelby County commissioners in February 2025 to fill the vacancy left by Bill Anderson [2][3][4]. The appointment was confirmed as a measure to address the vacant judicial seat within the county's court system [5].\n\nBachelor is running for election to the Division 7 General Sessions Criminal Court Judge position in 2026. As of May 18, 2026, she remains on the ballot for this upcoming race, with the outcome yet to be determined.\n\n## Background and education\n\nTaylor E Bachelor serves as a General Sessions Criminal Court Judge for Division 7 in Shelby County [1]. The Shelby County commissioners appointed Bachelor to this position to replace Bill Anderson [2][3][4]. This appointment filled a vacant judicial seat within the county's court system [5].\n\n## Career\n\nTaylor Bachelor brings over sixteen years of legal experience to her role in Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court, Division 7 [6]. Her professional background spans state and federal prosecution, defense work, and judicial appointments [7]. She is a graduate of Tennessee State University and the University of Memphis School of Law [6].\n\nBachelor is licensed to practice law by the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee [8]. On February 24, 2025, Shelby County commissioners appointed her as a Criminal Court Judge to replace Bill Anderson Jr. following his retirement in March [3]. She was selected to fill the vacant Division 7 judicial seat [5].\n\nCommissioners approved her appointment as an interim judge to serve during the transition period [9]. Bachelor serves through a special election on the August 2026 county general election ballot for the remaining four years of Anderson\u2019s eight-year term [10].\n\n## Office history\n\nTaylor E Bachelor was appointed to Division 7 of the General Sessions Criminal Court in Shelby County by Shelby County commissioners in February 2025 [2][3][4]. This appointment filled the vacancy left by Judge Bill Anderson [2][3][4]. As a judge for Division 7, Bachelor serves on the bench handling criminal cases within the jurisdiction of the General Sessions Court [1].\n\nThe provided sources do not contain information regarding other elected or appointed offices held by Taylor E Bachelor prior to this appointment, nor do they detail any prior electoral races run or lost.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Taylor E Bachelor | Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/general-sessions-courts/judges/taylor-e-bachelor)\n[2] [Shelby Co. commissioners appoint Taylor Bachelor as ...](https://www.actionnews5.com/video/2025/02/24/shelby-co-commissioners-appoint-taylor-bachelor-criminal-court-judge-bill-andersons-replacement/)\n[3] [Shelby Co. commissioners appoint Taylor Bachelor as Criminal ...](https://www.actionnews5.com/2025/02/24/shelby-co-commissioners-appoint-taylor-bachelor-criminal-court-judge-bill-andersons-replacement/)\n[4] [Shelby Co. commissioners appoint Taylor Bachelor as Criminal ...](https://www.actionnews5.com/video/2025/02/24/shelby-co-commissioners-appoint-taylor-bachelor-criminal-court-judge-bill-andersons-replacement-2/)\n[5] [Taylor Bachelor appointed to fill vacant Division 7 Judicial ...](https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/local/shelby-county-commission-black-leaders-resolutions/522-7e879764-61e5-447f-8bf1-99345420043c)\n[6] [Meet Judge Taylor Bachelor \u2660\ufe0f - Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ6mQwsNM7d/)\n[7] [Meet Judge Taylor Bachelor of Shelby County General Sessions Court](https://www.facebook.com/cgientertainment/posts/meet-judge-taylor-bachelor-%EF%B8%8F-general-sessions-criminal-court-division-7judge-tay/1624856011788539/)\n[8] [Attorney Details for Bachelor, Taylor Eskridge](https://www.tbpr.org/attorneys/027211)\n[9] [Commission approves interim judge as replacement for Bill Anderson - TSDMemphis.com](https://tri-statedefender.com/commission-approves-interim-judge-as-replacement-for-bill-anderson/02/26/)\n[10] [Shelby County commissioners appointed Taylor Bachelor as the ...](https://www.instagram.com/p/DGeeTAcs1V8/)","firstname":"Taylor","lastname":"Bachelor","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"n6ZEbcUEDe"},"token":"taylor_eskridge_bachelor"},{"candidatename":"Billy (Charles) Gilchrist","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":"","party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nBilly Gilchrist is a candidate for General Sessions Criminal Court Judge, Division 7 in the 2026 Tennessee election (Shelby County).\n","firstname":"Billy","lastname":"Gilchrist","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"zB5rtwqUcU"},"token":"billy_charles_gilchrist"}],"choices":null,"description":"","district":"shelby","districtgroup":"county","districtgroupname":"County","districtname":null,"job_type":"criminal_court_judge","o.office":"general_sessions_criminal_court_judge_div_7","office":"general_sessions_criminal_court_judge_div_7","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":"- General-Sessions criminal-court judge: handles misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, and bond proceedings \u2014 high volume, with constitutional speedy-process obligations.\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":"General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Div 7","partisan":0,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":"","source":null,"title":"General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Division 7"}