A North Carolina clerk and judge settled their bitter defamation dispute Monday, ending a case that exposed how personal feuds can threaten the basic function of county courts.
Todd Maness, clerk of court in Moore County, sued District Court Judge Donna “Beth” Tanner in January after she questioned whether he was doing his job. Tanner had contacted a senior judge claiming Maness hadn’t formed the jury commission required to conduct trials—a charge that could have gotten him removed from office.
The two asked Superior Court Judge James Ammons Jr. to approve their settlement agreement. Maness agreed to dismiss his complaint with prejudice, meaning he can’t refile it. Tanner dropped her request for sanctions.
How the Feud Nearly Halted Jury Trials
Tanner told Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Michael Stone she’d heard rumors that Maness hadn’t begun forming a jury commission and asked that it be dissolved. Without a functioning jury commission, Moore County couldn’t hold jury trials.
Deborah Duerring, who challenged Maness in the Republican primary, repeated Tanner’s allegations in a public speech. Maness initially sued both women but dismissed Duerring as a defendant in March.
The lawsuit claimed Tanner tried to sway public opinion against Maness and undermine his ability to fulfill his elected duties. For an elected official in a county of roughly 100,000 people, those accusations could destroy a career.
What Happens When Judges Turn on Each Other
The case grew more complicated when a senior judge opened an investigation into Tanner’s attorney, alleging he engaged in ex parte communications with plaintiff Maness—meaning private contact between a lawyer and judge about a pending case, which violates legal ethics rules.
The settlement brings an end to a dispute that had consumed courthouse resources and raised questions about whether personal conflicts between officials were interfering with the administration of justice in Moore County.
Neither party admitted wrongdoing. The agreement leaves both officials in their positions, though voters will ultimately decide whether the public airing of their dispute affects their political futures. Maness still serves as clerk of court. Tanner remains on the bench.
Key Points
- Moore County Clerk Todd Maness and Judge Beth Tanner settled their defamation case with both dismissing their claims
- Tanner had told a senior judge that Maness might not be forming the required jury commission, threatening to halt trials
- The feud triggered an ethics investigation into Tanner’s lawyer over alleged improper communications with the opposing party
https://www.courthousenews.com/clerk-judge-resolve-north-carolina-political-defamation-case/ – July 14, 2026
