Veteran Memphis Judge Chris Craft to Retire - Articles

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Veteran Memphis Judge Chris Craft to Retire

Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Feb 20, 2026

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft will retire July 1, according to the Daily Memphian. In a letter notifying Gov. Bill Lee of the decision, Craft said, “It has been an honor to have been entrusted by the citizens of Shelby County with the responsibility of serving in this capacity for the last 32 years.” Craft first took the bench in 1994. Prior to that, he worked in private practice and as a prosecutor with the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office. For more than 30 years he served on the Tennessee Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions Committee, including more than 20 years as chair. He also served as president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference and as chair of the state board responsible for handling ethics complaints against judges. Craft received the TBA’s Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award in 2025 for his leadership in judicial education, ethics and professional well-being.