Shelby County General Sessions Judge Deborah Means Henderson was honored with the Leon Ruben Award for Excellence at the fall Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference (TGSJC) this week.
During the award presentation, outgoing conference president Judge James Y. Ross described Judge Means Henderson as a national and statewide leader in mediation.
“She’s been an incredible leader for our Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference, the State of Tennessee and Shelby County as a whole,” said Judge Ross. “She served as the conference’s first African American woman, as president of our conference. She’s a mentor to many of our judges.”
“I don’t know what to say. This is totally a surprise and a huge, huge honor for me,” said Judge Deborah Means Henderson. “From the moment I joined the conference, I’ve always admired Judge Ruben. We know that his leaving us was a great loss for everybody, but I have tried to do everything that I could to be, not him, but to offer to the conference as much service as he has given. Thank you so much! I appreciate all of you. Thank you so very much.”
Judge Means Henderson is a member of the National Council of Negro Women, Delta Sigma Delta sorority and the Greater Middle Baptist Church.
In 2021, she received the Grayfred Gray Public Service in Mediation Award. Earlier this year, she was honored with a Resolution at the Shelby County Commission Meeting, in honor of her lifetime of work.
Shelby County has more than 27,000 evictions every year, many overseen by Judge Henderson. She worked with the County Commission to establish a pre-litigation eviction mediation program to work through disputes between landlords and tenants.
The Leon Ruben Award for Excellence is given annually to a judge or judges who distinguish themselves through their outstanding service to the community, the conference and the judiciary. The award is named for Judge Ruben, who served as a judge for 37 years in Nashville. He was also a member of the Metro Council and was known for his excellent contributions to the community.
