Moore Co. Clerk of Court sues Moore Co. district court judge for slander / libel

Posted on by

That’s right, folks.

District Court Judge Beth Tanner and Clerk of Court Todd Maness have been clashing for about three years. We detailed the early, um, *highlights* of the dispute here.

A full-blown courtroom battle was averted.  Both sides dropped their plans for legal action.  Judge Tanner started spending a lot more time holding court in Hoke County.  A fragile peace was achieved. Or so everyone thought.

Campaign 2026 has arrived. Maness has one primary opponent — a reported ally of Tanner, former Clerk Susan Hicks, and former Superior Court Judge Jim Webb.   Tanner herself has two primary opponents — local attorneys Sharlene Anderson and Marissa Curry. 

Today, legal counsel for Todd Maness filed a complaint in Moore County Superior Court against Judge Beth Tanner and Maness’s primary opponent Deborah Duerring.  Here are some of the details:

 

Maness, according to his complaint, is demanding a jury trial and seeking compensatory and punitive damages from both Tanner and Duerring.