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Shelby County Juvenile Court building temporarily closed due to asbestos, mold and lead

Court officials said the building at 616 Adams was temporarily closed for maintenance on Thursday, April 25, 2024.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court building is closed for asbestos, mold and lead, and there’s no timeline yet for when it could reopen.

Court officials said the building at 616 Adams was temporarily closed for maintenance on Thursday, April 25, 2024.

On April 30, Judge Tarik Sugarmon confirmed to ABC24 that it closed after officials found out about asbestos, mold and lead in the building on Wednesday, April 24. Sugarmon said items shoved into toilets caused a biohazard.

Juvenile court officials said video conferencing has been put into place to continue court business and proceedings while the building remains closed. They said this means most cases, including child welfare cases, are being handled virtually or are being rescheduled if that is not an option. More serious cases are being handled at an off-site location, Sugarmon said. 

He added that officials had been working on a contingency plan since they found out about the asbestos concern around 4 p.m. Wednesday.

They said they are “awaiting guidance” on when the building can reopen.

“Juvenile Court officials acknowledge the inconvenience and are committed to serving the public in the most efficient manner possible during this closure,” said a statement from the court. 

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