THE EXPANDING DRAGNET: Subpoenas Target Political Heavyweights, Operatives, and Secret Messages in Dr. Marie Feagins' Lawsuit
Local & National News | August 14, 2026
Unsealed court subpoenas & transcripts reveal Dr. Feagins’ legal team is targeting city leaders, political operatives, & secret texts.

By JR Robinson, CEO & Founder of JustMyMemphis

⚡ EXCLUSIVE INVESTIGATIVE FOLLOW-UP

THE QUICK DIRT: SUBPOENAS & UNSEALED TRANSCRIPTS

Here is the raw breakdown of what the latest court filings reveal before you dive into the deep report:

#1
THE DRAGNET GOES WAY BEYOND THE SCHOOL BOARD: Newly unsealed court subpoenas (Exhibit A) show Dr. Feagins' legal team demanding private communications from County Mayor Lee Harris, County Commissioner JB Smiley Jr., former board chair Miska Clay Bibbs, and political power brokers[cite: 32, 33].
#2
HUNTING FOR ENCRYPTED MESSAGES: Attorneys aren't just asking for standard emails; subpoenas specifically command the surrender of encrypted messaging records across Signal, WhatsApp, iMessage, and social media DMs discussing plans to "fire," "replace," or "get rid of" Dr. Feagins[cite: 33].
#3
FLEEING PROCESS SERVERS & REFUSING TO TESTIFY: Court process servers logged official returns showing former Board Chair Althea Greene and Commissioner JB Smiley Jr. failed to respond or evaded service[cite: 32, 33]. Meanwhile, five anti-Feagins board members completely refused to show up to testify at the July 2025 preliminary injunction hearing[cite: 34].
#4
PR FIRM CEO BUSTED ON THE STAND: Under intense cross-examination in court, PR consultant Deidre Malone admitted she received a draft termination resolution two full weeks before the public ever heard of it and prepped messaging strategies for a select 5-member board bloc[cite: 34].
#5
THE "HEIR APPARENT" TEXT LEAKS IN DECEMBER: A Peer Power director testified he texted a district staffer on December 14, 2024—days before public notice—naming Dr. Rod Richmond as the exact replacement choice before a vote was cast[cite: 34].
???? THE COMPLETE DEEP-DIVE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES BELOW JustMyMemphis Special Report

MEMPHIS, TN — If you thought the battle over the Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) superintendent's seat was just a simple clash between an ambitious school leader and an outspoken board, you haven't been looking at the court dockets.

Our first story blew the lid off the secret PR bills, pre-scripted firing videos, and backroom vote-counting that led to Dr. Marie Feagins being ousted. The streets went wild over those receipts. But JustMyMemphis doesn't stop digging.

Newly unsealed court documents from Shelby County Circuit Court (Case No. CT-0453-25)—including formal court subpoenas and sworn hearing transcripts—reveal that this fight is much bigger than a school board dispute.

Dr. Feagins’ legal team isn't just suing the board. They are dropping subpoenas on Memphis political heavyweights, county commissioners, local media consultants, and community political brokers.

They are hunting for encrypted text messages, secret Signal groups, and private emails to prove a coordinated political hit.

Here is the hard-hitting, plain-English breakdown of who is getting dragged into court, what the unsealed subpoenas demand, and what went down when the lawyers battled it out in front of the judge.

The Unsealed Subpoenas: Who Is Being Dragged Into Court?

When everyday folks hear the word "subpoena," it sounds like legal mumbo-jumbo. Let's break it down: a subpoena is a formal court order. If you get one, you can't just ignore it or delete your messages. You have to hand over your records or risk going to jail for contempt of court.

Page 3 of the unsealed court filings (Exhibit A) reveals that Dr. Feagins' attorney, Rachel Lambert, is casting a massive net across Shelby County's political ecosystem.

Take a look at who the court is ordering to turn over their private communications:

Unsealed Exhibit A

THE SUBPOENA DRAGNET

Key Non-Board Figures Ordered to Produce Communications & Records

Targeted Individual / Figure Title / Role What the Subpoena Demands
Lee Harris Shelby County Mayor All communications regarding Dr. Feagins, superintendent funding requests, district strategy, or termination efforts between May 2024 and January 2025[cite: 32].
JB Smiley Jr. Shelby County Commissioner All text messages, emails, Signal, WhatsApp, and social media DMs referencing "firing," "replacing," or "getting rid of" Dr. Feagins[cite: 33].
Miska Clay Bibbs County Commissioner / Former Board Chair All communications concerning MSCS business, superintendent leadership, or termination discussions from Feb 2024 to August 2024[cite: 32].
Cardell Orrin Executive Director, Stand for Children All communications with board members or consultants regarding strategy, Feagins' evaluation, or district restructuring[cite: 33].
Deidre Malone President/CEO, Carter Malone Group All records, billing items, scripts, op-eds, and messaging strategies coordinated with board members or legal counsel.
Dr. Joris Ray Former MSCS Superintendent All communications regarding discussions held at private gatherings, birthday parties, or meetings concerning Feagins' tenure[cite: 33].
Source: Subpoena Filings & Exhibit A Records (CT-0453-25) JustMyMemphis Legal Analysis
Deep Dive

WHY LAWYERS SPECIFICALLY NAMED SIGNAL & WHATSAPP

Exposing Auto-Deleting Text Apps and Targeted Search Terms

In political circles, when individuals want to organize backroom deals without leaving a public paper trail, they move off official district emails and transition to auto-deleting messaging apps like Signal and WhatsApp.

???? EXPLICIT SEARCH TERMS COMMANDED BY COURT SUBPOENAS:

"getting rid of"[cite: 33]
"firing"[cite: 33]
"removing" or "replacing"[cite: 33]
Allegations of "misconduct, harassment, forgery, or theft"[cite: 33]

The Bottom Line: If politicians or board members attempted to utilize encrypted channels to coordinate vote-whipping outside public view, these subpoenas compel full surrender of those digital records under threat of contempt[cite: 32, 33].

Reference: Case No. CT-0453-25 Subpoena Directives JustMyMemphis Digital Forensics Update

The Process Server Returns: Who Is Trying to Avoid Court?

Serving legal papers isn't like sending a regular letter; a licensed process server has to physically hand the documents to the person.

The official returns of service filed on August 7, 2026, show process servers ran into major walls when trying to deliver these court orders:

Official Court Return

OFFICIAL PROCESS SERVER LOGS

Unsealed August 2026 Returns of Service Filings

Target Individual Service Status  Official Process Server Notes
Rev. Althea Greene NOT SERVED (Evaded / Delayed) "Said she was waiting on attorney Robert Spence to advise – no response."[cite: 32]
JB Smiley Jr. NOT SERVED (No Response) "Unable to serve copy... because no response."[cite: 33]
Filing Date: August 7, 2026 (Circuit Court Clerk Log) JustMyMemphis Legal Brief

Why were former leadership figures avoiding process servers and waiting for school board attorneys before accepting a simple subpoena for records[cite: 32, 33]? What is inside those message threads that people are reluctant to turn over under oath[cite: 32, 33]?

Fireworks in Court: The July 22, 2025 Hearing Transcript

If you want to see how intense this fight got, look no further than the 237-page court transcript from the July 22, 2025 hearing before Senior Judge Robert L. Childers.

Dr. Feagins' attorney, William Wooten, walked into court and dropped a bomb right out of the gate: Five key school board members refused to show up and testify.

MR. WOOTEN: "They are not appearing based upon counsel's position to me... I believe they're acting in bad faith, continuously delaying, not providing any discovery... I believe their non-appearance is in bad faith and showing that Your Honor can take an inference that they're unwilling to appear in court and that the testimony they would have given would have supported our position today."

 

The five board members who chose not to take the stand were Joyce Dorse-Coleman, Stephanie Love, Towanna Murphy, Sable Otey, and Tamarques Porter—the exact same bloc that voted to fire Feagins.

PR Firm CEO Deidre Malone Takes the Stand

Sworn Testimony

PR FIRM CEO DEIDRE MALONE TAKES THE STAND

Cross-Examination Highlights from July 22, 2025 Hearing Transcript

Because board members refused to take the stand, Feagins' legal team called Deidre Malone, CEO of The Carter Malone Group, as their primary witness[cite: 34]. Under cross-examination, Malone's admissions directly contradicted the board's official narrative[cite: 34]:

1. She Had the Firing Resolution Weeks Early

Malone admitted under oath that she received a draft copy of the resolution to terminate Dr. Feagins two full weeks before the December 17th vote[cite: 34].

The Problem: Where did an outside PR consultant get a draft termination resolution two weeks early if the full board hadn't met or voted on it yet[cite: 34]?

2. 80% of Her Early PR Strategy Was About Firing Feagins

Malone admitted that on December 7, 2024—ten days before the public knew anything—she spent hours drafting a board communications plan where 80% of the content was focused strictly on Dr. Feagins' termination[cite: 34].

3. Pre-Recorded Exit Videos

Malone admitted that on the morning of December 16, 2024, she had Board Chair Joyce Dorse-Coleman and Vice Chair Stephanie Love come into her PR offices to film pre-recorded videos announcing the exit of Dr. Feagins—a full day before any public vote occurred[cite: 24, 34].

Trial Transcript Page 31-85 (July 22, 2025 Hearing) JustMyMemphis Sworn Testimony Brief

The "Heir Apparent" Text: Dr. Rod Richmond Named in December

Court Exhibit 2

THE DECEMBER 14 TEXT MESSAGE REVEALED IN COURT

Predicting the Replacement Days Before Public Notice

Date Sent
December 14, 2024 (3 Days Before Board Vote)[cite: 34]
Sender & Receiver
Jalen Washington ➔ Antonio Scott[cite: 34]
Peer Power Director to Feagins' Executive Assistant[cite: 34]
Explicit Text Message Content (Entered as Exhibit 2):

"It's been shared with me that the superintendent will be getting fired on Tuesday and Rod Richmond will be the interim."[cite: 34]

Sworn Testimony of Jalen Washington (Transcript Page 92-101) JustMyMemphis Exclusive

How did an outside non-profit director know on December 14th that Dr. Feagins was getting fired on Tuesday, and know the exact name of the replacement (Dr. Rod Richmond) before the public or the full board had even seen the resolution[cite: 34]?

What Comes Next?

The unsealed subpoenas and court transcripts prove one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt: the push to fire Dr. Marie Feagins wasn't an organic decision made during a public board meeting. It was a coordinated campaign involving high-level political figures, public relations firms, and secret messaging threads.

As these subpoenas force politicians and operatives to hand over their Signal chats, WhatsApp threads, and private emails, the full truth will come to light[cite: 33].

JustMyMemphis will stay on the front lines of both the state and federal cases to bring you every unsealed document, every deposition transcript, and every receipt.

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