The Tennessee

The parties to this appeal have been involved in three separate lawsuits. Shayla Purifoy worked as a staff attorney at Memphis Area Legal Services and represents victims of domestic violence. Devine Mafa is an occupational therapist who came to the United States from Zimbabwe around 2000.

In March 2013, Ms. Purifoy testified at an order of protection hearing involving Dr. Mafa. The petitioner in that proceeding was a student Ms. Purifoy knew from coaching a mock trial team. The student had previously dated Dr. Mafa and was seeking to extend an order of protection against him; Dr. Mafa was also seeking an order of protection against the student. Ms. Purifoy testified very briefly, for approximately five minutes, about factual matters. She testified regarding the mock trial team’s cell phone policy and whether the student would have had access to her phone at a time when she allegedly sent messages to Dr. Mafa. Ms. Purifoy was also asked if she had seen Dr. Mafa outside of court, and she described an incident in which she had observed him  being detained by police outside a bar called the Silly Goose. The proceeding was eventually dismissed, with no order of protection being entered in favor of either the student or Dr. Mafa.