After nearly a year of disputes, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the Shelby County Juvenile Court continue to disagree over their duties to juveniles.

And there appears to be no end in sight, despite efforts by various county leaders to end the conflict.

Earlier this month, juvenile court was scheduled to resume in-person hearings at its downtown courthouse after being closed for more than five months due to mold and lead concerns. But, three days before the planned change, a SCSO attorney sent a letter to Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon saying the sheriff’s office would not transport youths from the Youth Justice and Education Center to their hearings in the city center.

Juvenile court opposes takeover of youth detention center

The move comes after months of disputes between the two entities over which should operate the youth justice and education center located at 3420 Old Getwell Road in Oakhaven. While the sheriff’s office currently operates the facility, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said in April that he told Sugarmon in a December 2023 letter he would transfer juvenile facility operations return to juvenile court by December of this year.

In a statement released the next day, Sugarmon questioned that timeline, citing the “complex nature of the transition process.” In July, he told the Daily Memphian that he was opposed to the management of the establishment.

Over the past several months, Shelby County Deputy Chief Government Administrator LaSonya Hall has led discussions between the sheriff’s office and juvenile court.

Hall declined an interview. Bonner and Sugarmon also declined to speak for this story.

But Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris told The Daily Memphian that conversations led by Hall ended without the issue being resolved.

‘Last minute’ change moves Monday’s juvenile court hearings online

On October 22, the mayor last spoke to representatives of the juvenile court and the sheriff’s office on Friday, October 18. But his goal at this point was to ensure discussions continued.

“My message Friday, when I spoke to both sides, was that we all need to find a way to get in the room, whether it’s a facilitated conversation or not,” Harris said. “I hope both sides can agree to enter the room.”

Members of the Shelby County Commission also attempted to help resolve the conflict earlier in the year, but ultimately made no progress. Shelby County Commissioner Henri Brooks even said recently that she is now trying to get the U.S. Department of Justice involved.

Since last week, the SCSO has remained steadfast in its position on transportation. Instead of delinquency hearings being held at the downtown juvenile court, they are being held at the Oakhaven Juvenile Detention Center, now and for the foreseeable future.

“At this point, hearings will continue at YJEC at this time,” said Erica Evans, Judicial Director of Juvenile Court.

Likewise, the SCSO says it will transfer operations of the juvenile detention center and that the target date for transition is quickly approaching.