The Hon. Carlyn L. Addison is a judge for Division V of the 30th Judicial District Criminal Court of Tennessee in Shelby County. She was elected to the bench in 2022.
Division V specializes in Intimate Partner Violence.
Prior to her election, Addison was a magistrate for the Juvenile Court of Memphis & Shelby County since 2015, where she handled cases involving delinquency, truancy, foster care, child abuse, and co-parenting issues. Before that, she was a staff attorney and referee for the Shelby County Environmental Court, following her appointment by Hon. Larry Potter. Addison also spent seven years as an assistant public defender in Shelby County.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Xavier University. Addison then completed a J.D. at Southern University Law Center.
Her memberships include the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges, the Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court, the Memphis Bar Association, and the National Association of Women Judges. Addison has also been involved with the Joshua Learning Tree Parent Board and the Herb Kosten Foundation.
She is certified in recognizing and addressing Domestic Child Sex Trafficking by the National Council of Juvenile Court and Family Judges.
In 2019, Addison received the Truancy Champion Award from the International Association of Truancy & Dropout Prevention.
​She was raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and Memphis, Tennessee. Addison attends the Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ.