{"county":"Shelby","description":"","district":"shelby","districtgroup":"county","id":44,"key":"county_circuit_judge_div_8","lastchangeby":null,"name":"Damita J. Dandridge","next_election":"2022-11-08","notes":"54","officegroup":"county_circuit_court","partisan":0,"party":"","qualities":"- Trial-court judge of general civil and criminal jurisdiction in a Tennessee circuit court \u2014 presides over jury and bench trials, dispositive motions, and sentencing under TCA.\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.","quantity":1,"source":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2030-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01","term_years":8,"terms":[{"current":1,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-08-06","name":"Damita J. Dandridge","person":{"biography":"The Honorable Circuit Court Judge, Damita J. Dandridge is a native Memphian, and a graduate of LeMoyne-Owen College, where she obtained a B.A. Degree in Political Science. She received her Juris Doctorate Degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Houston, Texas.\n\nJudge Dandridge has other professional preparation, such as a participant in Dartmouth College Summer Institute in preparation for Genome and the Law. She also participated in the Harvard Law School Program of Instruction for lawyers.\n\nJudge Dandridge was recently the Assistant Professor of Political Science and the Coordinator of Service-Learning at LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee. At the College, she taught in Political Science, Criminal Justice, Business and Service-Learning for over 30 years. She assisted in creating and designing the curriculum for Service-Learning and Criminal Justice.\n\nThe Honorable Judge volunteers with several local nonprofits and has served as past board chair for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Memphis Chapter and Knowledge Quest after school program.\n\nJudge Dandridge has served as the Public Relations Chair for the Board of Public Relations and is the Vice-President of the Women at the Cross Society of the Lutheran Women Missionary League at Cross of Calvary Lutheran Church in Whitehaven. She served as President of the Society for over 10 years.\n\nThe Honorable Dandridge has practiced in criminal and civil law for over 37 years, including her time in Houston, Texas. Before her election, on May 2, 2022, Judge Dandridge celebrated 20 years as a Shelby County Judicial Commissioner.\n\nJudge Dandridge, professional affiliations are Memphis Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Ben Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association, Texas Bar Association, Association of Women Attorneys, and the Judicial Commissioners Association. Judge Dandridge is also engaged with the following civic associations; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Phi Lambda Omega Chapter, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, National Council of Negro Women, Women in Leadership Leaning on Wisdom (Willow), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), United Campus Workers of American-CWA Local 3865, and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).\n\nBefore becoming Circuit Court Judge, Judge Dandridge, recently won the 2018 recognition for \u201c12 Outstanding Women in the Judiciary,\u201d and was recognized by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Memphis, Shelby County Chapter for service as an Educator, 2022 President\u2019s Service Award. Judge Damita J. Dandridge is the mother of two adult sons.","firstname":"Damita","lastname":"Dandridge","middlename":"J.","token":"kKYGi373HF"},"term_end":"2030-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01"}],"title":"County Circuit Judge Div 8","type":"judicial","url":null,"whenchanged":"2026-04-25 19:49:19"}