Judge Ray Lepone has dedicated more than 25 years of his career to serving the people of Tennessee as a prosecutor, judge, and appellate lawyer. In 2025, Governor Bill Lee appointed him to Criminal Court Division I (Shelby County) following the retirement of Judge Paula Skahan. 

​

A lifelong public servant, Judge Lepone began his career in 2000 as an Assistant District Attorney in Shelby County, where he prosecuted some of the community’s most violent crimes. For more than a decade, he specialized in gang and homicide prosecutions, including leading the team in the high-profile “Lester Street Massacre” case. Over his career, he tried more than 60 major felony jury trials, including capital cases.

In 2016, he was appointed a Magistrate Judge in Shelby County Juvenile Court, where he presided over cases involving delinquency, dependency and neglect, custody, visitation, and child support. Two years later, he returned to the District Attorney’s Office as Deputy District Attorney, managing more than 200 employees and overseeing the prosecution of all major felony cases in Shelby County.

​

Most recently, Judge Lepone served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, handling criminal appeals and complex capital cases statewide. That experience gave him a unique perspective on the importance of trial court decisions and their impact on appeal.

​

Judge Lepone earned his law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kennesaw State University. He has been recognized with numerous professional honors, including the Shelby County District Attorney’s Distinguished Service Award and the Memphis Police Department’s Unit Citation Award for his work with the Multi-Agency Gang Unit.

Outside the courtroom, Judge Lepone is active in his community as a licensed amateur boxing coach and mentor.

​

Judge Lepone is committed to upholding the law with fairness, integrity, and respect for every person who enters his courtroom. His broad experience as a prosecutor, magistrate, appellate lawyer, and now trial judge ensures that he is prepared to handle the wide range of cases that come before the Shelby County Criminal Court.