On Friday, April 25, 2025, ABC24 reported that Judge Paula Skahan of Shelby County has announced her retirement after more than 20 years of service on the Criminal Court bench. Judge Skahan will officially step down from her position in Division 1 of the Shelby County Criminal Court on June 30, 2025.
Skahan was appointed to her judgeship in December 2004 by then-Governor Phil Bredesen and subsequently won election in 2006. In her retirement announcement, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve the community and reflected on the experiences and memories gained throughout her tenure.
Throughout her career, Judge Skahan presided over numerous high-profile cases, garnering attention for her handling of various legal matters. Notably, in 2021, she oversaw the resentencing of Pervis Payne, who had been convicted of double murder in 1987. Skahan vacated Payne’s death sentence due to evidence suggesting an intellectual disability.
Additionally, she played a critical role in the reassessment of Courtney Anderson’s lengthy sentence. Initially sentenced to over 160 years for multiple theft and forgery charges in 1997, Skahan advocated for a review, leading to a significant reduction of his sentence to 15 years, effectively time served.
In 2024, Skahan faced public reprimand for her involvement in the Anderson case following an investigation led by Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor.
The Criminal Court Clerk’s Office described her retirement as marking “the end of a significant era” for the Shelby County Criminal Court. The process to appoint her successor will be announced after her departure date.
Source: ABC24
