Carolyn Wade Blackett

Criminal Court Judge
Year Elected/Appointed
1994
Previous Employment

Attorney, Waring Cox Law Firm, 1992-94
Senior Attorney/Regional Manager of Government Affairs, Federal Express Corporation, 1983-1992
Attorney, National Labor Relations Board, 1983
Legal Intern, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, 1981-82
Law Clerk, Phillip Morris Corporation/Seven-Up Division, 1980-1983

Education
St. Louis University Law School, 1982
Brown University, 1979
Memphis Theological Seminary, 2021
Honors
  • First African American State Court Female Judge in the History of the State of Tennessee 
  • First African American Female Criminal Court Judge in the State of Tennessee 
  • Tennessee Court of Judiciary -Appointed by Tennessee Supreme Court, 1995-99 
  • Tennessee Judicial Council -Appointed by Tennessee Supreme Court, 2006 
  • Tennessee Judicial Conference, Chairperson of Judicial Fairness Committee, Member of Criminal Jury Instruction Committee, Member of Literacy in the Courts Committee, Member of Continuing Legal Education Committee, Treasurer of Tennessee Judicial Conference, 1996-97, Executive Board Member, 1997-98 
  • Administrative Judge of Criminal Courts in the Thirtieth Judicial District
Membership(s)

American Bar Association
National Bar Association (Life Member)
National Bar Association - Judicial Council
Association of Women Attorneys
Memphis/Shelby County Bar Association
American Association of Judges
Tennessee Bar Foundation
Tennessee Judicial Conference
National Bar Association - Ben F. Jones Chapter

Community Involvement
  • Memphis/Shelby County Crime Commission Board Member, 1995-2010
  • Porter Leath Foster Grandparent Program, Advisory Board Member
  • Make-A-Wish Foundation of Mid-South, Board Member 
  • Lausanne Collegiate Schools-Board of Trustees 
  • Boys and Girls Club of Memphis, Board of Directors 
  • Harbor House - Board of Directors 
  • Memphis Crime Task Force-Appointed by Mayor Herenton 
  • Exchange Club Child Abuse - Advisory Board Member 
  • Rotary International 
  • Neighborhood Watch, Inc. 
  • Tennessee Valley Authority 
  • Memphis Urban League - Vice Chair of Board of Directors 
  • Memphis Chambers of Commerce 
  • Memphis Area Transit Authority - Board of Commissions 
  • YMCA- Board of Directors 
  • WDIA Goodwill Revue Foundation, Inc. 
  • Leadership Memphis - Class of 1990 
  • Tennessee State Park Commission 
  • Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 
  • Memphis Links, Inc. 
  • Hope Presbyterian Church - Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, Bible Study Teacher
Carolyn
Wade
Blackett
Contact Info
901-222-3208
Address

Shelby Co. Justice Complex
201 Poplar Avenue, Room 519
Memphis, TN 38103
United States

Counties
Shelby