Joined by her legal team, Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert announced Oct. 29 that she intends to appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court a ruling that revives a lawsuit seeking her ouster.
“That’s our next step,” said Halbert’s attorney, Darrell O’Neal.
On Monday, Oct. 27, an appeals court rejected a Feb. 11 decision by Circuit Court Judge Felicia Corbin-Johnson that dismissed the complaint alleging Halbert neglected her duties. The case has been sent back to her court.
However, it is up to the state supreme court whether it wants to take up the case. Brought in late 2024, the lawsuit alleges Halbert has neglected the duties of her office. It is the second attempt at her removal.
The ruling followed a brief attempt at mediation that was ordered by the circuit court. Discussions quickly broke down between Halbert’s team and their counterparts with the county and state attorney general’s offices.
“At a later date, the plaintiff decided they didn’t want to meet any longer,” O’Neal said.
Halbert’s attorney also pointed to the election calendar. His client is wrapping up her second term. Next November, she will be out of office. He also said mediation was his client’s preferred method of redress.
“To continue in the middle of litigation and you’ve got nine months in office and we’re in full-fledged litigation over something that in nine months is not even going to matter makes no sense,” O’Neal said.
Halbert also used the press conference to explain the most recent setbacks in her office.
The City of Millington is threatening to sue the clerk’s office for 21 months of back rent on its branch at 4386 Navy Road. In July 2024, the Shelby County Commission approved a $1,600-a-month lease at the location. After it expired in December, the office continued to operate there. Without a lease, the rent rose to $2,000 a month. The running bill is currently $39,000.
Halbert said the lease was agreed to without her knowledge. Moreover, she said she wasn’t involved in any discussion leading up to its signing.
“I am very concerned a lease has popped up over the last year or two. Someone has been paying it and then knocked on my door wanting me to continue paying it,” Halbert said.
A recent mid-day closure of downtown’s main branch during a rush to renew expired vehicle tags and license plates was also addressed. On Oct. 2, motorists flooded the various branches following the deployment of the Memphis Safe Task Force. More than 7,000 customers visited the seven branch locations. An average day typically sees about 4,000 customers. According to Halbert, a line formed outside the main office that snaked for blocks.
“That’s how long the line was that particular morning,” Halbert said.
Moreover, many of the visitors’ tags had been expired for more than two years. The gap required office employees to check for outstanding tickets or violations. The task force was also allegedly removing plates from vehicles with expired tags. The system soon became “overburdened.”
“They are having to come up with $400 or $500 just to be on the streets. So, it’s time-consuming. We have to call and check for tickets on the registration,” said motor vehicle administrator Bennie Smith.
He also said the episode was an anomaly.
“It is unlike anything else in the data set,” said Smith, who also serves as a state elections commissioner.
Halbert’s tenure has been marked by controversies. Elected in 2018, her first term was tainted by a prolonged delay of tens of thousands of vehicle tags during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She was re-elected in August 2022.
Her second term has also seen setbacks, including an audit ordered by State Comptroller Jason Mumpower in March, after Halbert submitted erroneous monthly financial reports to Shelby County Trustee Regina Newman.
Corbin-Johnson also dismissed a previous ouster attempt brought by Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp in June of last year. That lawsuit also accused Halbert of neglecting her office.
With the election a year away, the race is already on to find Halbert’s replacement. Last week, former Shelby County Health Department interim director La Sonya Hall threw her hat into the ring. An official announcement is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4.
“Shelby County deserves a Clerk’s Office that works efficiently and respectfully for every citizen. I’m running to restore confidence, reduce wait times, and operate the Clerk’s Office like a business — focused on results, accountability and service,” read a press release from Hall.
