“Elected in 1988 to Division 4 of General Sessions Civil Court, he had been serving on the bench for 10 years when I came on as a baby judge in 1998,” said Moore. "As a new judge and a born and raised Memphian I was in awe of not only him as a judge but this also bigger than life civil rights icon of our city. Judge Sugarmon was one the most kindest people you would ever meet. I had been a Public Defender for 13 years before being elected to Division 5 and he was so open and available to help me in any and every way that he could to make sure that i would grow to be and would be the best that I could be. He not only didn’t mind, and he did on many occasions for any lawyer or judge who sought help, sharing his wealth of wisdom, knowledge and experience with you but the stories, the history that he shared of his groundbreaking and oft times painful times as a civil rights activist and politician Memphis were just jaw dropping.