Rhea Clift, a local attorney with deep roots in Germantown, stepped up to the bench of the Germantown Municipal Court on Friday, August 30, keeping the gavel within the family and filling a vacancy that had the local legal community closely watching. Clift succeeds interim Judge Kevin Patterson, who took on the role after her father, Raymond Clift Jr., retired in 2022 and chose not to run for election.

In a statement about her win over Justin Gee, Clift promised, "I will follow the law as it’s written by the legislation. I will make sure criminals have their day in court and I will hold everyone accountable," as per the City of Germantown's announcement. Her career began as an assistant district attorney within the Shelby County District Attorney's office and progressed to serving as the suburb's chief prosecutor in Bartlett.

Having juggled multiple roles, Clift will leave her post in Bartlett due to state and city conflict of interests, but maintains her prosecutor position in Millington City Court. Her involvement extends beyond legal proceedings, with her past participation in the 1997 Class of Leadership Germantown and a three-year tenure on the Board of Zoning Appeals.

The swearing-in ceremony, administered by Judge Robert Brannon, was a moment of civic engagement, with Clift thanking those in attendance and promising a firm stance on crime: "Welcome to Germantown" signs would act as a deterrent on her watch, according to the City of Germantown's announcement.