Shelby County DA Files Lawsuit Challenging New State Oversight Laws
Shelby County — [May 26, 2026] Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy filed suit today in Shelby County Chancery Court, asking the court to strike down two newly enacted state laws that he says unconstitutionally single out his office and erode the authority of locally elected prosecutors across Tennessee.
The lawsuit, brought by Mulroy in his official capacity as district attorney general for the 30th Judicial District, challenges the Memphis Safe Task Force Accountability Act (Senate Bill 1467, Public Chapter 943) and a measure authorizing a state audit of his office, commonly referred to as the AG Audit Bill (Senate Bill 443 / House Bill 483, Public Chapter 928). Both were passed during the 2026 session of the Tennessee General Assembly. Both apply only to the judicial district that encompasses Shelby County.
The Memphis Safe Task Force Accountability Act requires the District Attorney's Office to file a report every 10 business days whenever it settles or dismisses a charge arising from the federal Memphis Safe Task Force. The AG Audit Bill authorizes the Tennessee Attorney General — an appointed, not elected, official — to audit every prosecutorial decision the office makes in a federal task force case, from the initial bail determination through final resolution.
It also permits the Attorney General to petition the Tennessee Supreme Court to appoint a "pro tem," or temporary, district attorney to handle those cases, an unelected prosecutor who would operate in parallel with the duly elected Shelby County DA.
The complaint raises several constitutional claims: it alleges both laws violate equal protection by impermissibly singling out Shelby County for disparate treatment. The suit further alleges violations of the separation of powers.
Historically, the complaint notes, such appointments have been reserved for a vacancy in office or a conflict of interest, not as a tool to second-guess the charging decisions of an elected prosecutor.
Mulroy has consistently maintained that his office already reports case outcomes as required under existing Tennessee law, and that cases connected to the task force are reviewed under the same legal and ethical standards as every other case his office handles.
"These bills target Shelby County unfairly and infringe on the rights of Shelby County voters," says Mulroy. "Our constitution and decades of State Supreme Court precedent make clear that a locally elected DA has wide discretion in how to handle cases, free from interference, and only a locally elected judge can appoint a replacement DA if the elected DA becomes unavailable."
"The reporting requirements are vague, duplicative, and administratively burdensome. They suggest that federal task force cases should be given more priority than cases brought independently by local law enforcement. They'll take staff away from real law enforcement work to perform pointless busywork, when the same case resolution data--for all cases, not just task force cases--is already required to be provided to the Legislature by all DA offices across the state."
The suit asks the court to declare both laws unconstitutional and to permanently bar their enforcement.
DA Mulroy is represented by the Washington Litigation Group and Donati Law, PLLC.
“The General Assembly's new bills targeting District Attorney Mulroy violate the Tennessee Constitution's local control and equal protection mandates,” explained Mary Dohrmann, Senior Counsel at the Washington Litigation Group. “We’re proud to represent District Attorney Mulroy and protect his exercise of his constitutional office from unlawful interference.”
The 30th Judicial District Attorney General's Office serves Shelby County and is responsible for prosecuting criminal cases on behalf of the people of the district.
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Media Contact: Erica Williams | erica.williams@scdag.com
About the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office
The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, led by DA Steve Mulroy, serves more than 920,000 Memphis and Shelby County residents. DA Mulroy and his team of prosecutors are committed to a safer and fairer Shelby County. Follow the SCDAG’s Office on Facebook and X @shelbycountyda.