With a commitment to public service, Mann coaches people through court system

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By necessity, Charley Mann has had to learn to deliver with tact news someone might not want to hear.

Mann, deputy clerk for the Jefferson County Clerk of Courts, joined the court in May 2017. He is responsible for taking new filings, clerking hearings before commissioners and judges and answering questions at the counter or over the phone.

Mann’s father, Douglas Mann, is an attorney and Mann, while growing up, would sometimes follow him around at work. That experience inspired Mann to pursue a career in the legal field, where he now has about 15 years’ experience.

“What I like most about my job is that every day brings something new,” he said. “There’s always frustrations when working with people who are sometimes in a bad place in their life, but it’s always different and never the same situation.”

Mann’s work is far from easy. For one, he often has to give people answers they don’t want to hear.

“We aren’t attorneys so we can’t provide legal advice and that’s not always the answer people are looking for,” said Mann, who is being honored with his second Unsung Hero award from the Law Journal. “We have that understanding that we usually are dealing with people who are sometimes at the lowest point in their life and are just looking for someone to tell them what to do, and that can be tough when their anger and frustration is misdirected at us.”

Douglas Mann said that his son has continued to grow in his expertise and commitment to public service.

“He is a favorite of judges due his skill, expertise and easygoing manners,” Douglas said.

Outside work, Charley Mann enjoys spending time with his wife, Amy — who is also a deputy sheriff for Jefferson County — and their daughter, Charlotte. Mann coached high school football before moving to Jefferson County and said that he would like to return to coaching at some point.