The Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court building has been shut down indefinitely after mold, asbestos, and lead paint were found within its walls, according to an announcement from Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon. The discovery of these hazardous materials has led to the relocation of over 130 employees and prompted local officials to initiate an emergency closure of the facility.

Last week's inspection unearthed the toxins and prompted an immediate need for remediation. As reported by Action News 5, Judge Sugarmon has stated that contingency plans are in the works to keep court sessions operational by relocating to various other sites, which may include the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center and the Election Commission building. However, there is an uncertainty regarding the long-term impact on court operations due to the sudden closure.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris communicated that more testing will follow now that staff has been evacuated, aiming to develop a comprehensive solution to the hazard. "We’ve brought in one of the environmental organizations that we work with often for these kind of issues so they will have to go through the building and give us a report," Mayor Harris explained, as detailed by Local Memphis.

The closure of this key government building has raised concerns over potential backups in juvenile cases. Judge Sugarmon acknowledged such worries, noting atmospheric irregularities experienced within the building in the past. "There was a smell and odor occasionally when it got hot, because out AC would sometimes work and sometimes wouldn’t," Sugarmon said to WREG. These concerns came to the forefront following an inspection in March, triggered by structural issues, including peeling paint and water damage.

Despite the disruption, Sugarmon remains hopeful, as reported by WREG, that delays in dockets and hearings will be minimal. "Hopefully it won’t create much of a back up because we’ve only lost a few days now we should be fully operational on all of our dockets by the end of next week, hopefully sooner," said Sugarmon. While in-person court cases are currently being heard at the Shelby County Youth Justice and Educational Center, virtual hearings are also being utilized to minimize delays.