The Hon. James A. Manley (Ret.) was a judge for the 20th Judicial District Court of Montana. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Steve Bullock on October 25, 2013, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the late Hon. C.B. McNeil. Manley retired on May 31, 2022.
The 20th Judicial District includes Lake and Sanders Counties. During his judicial tenure, Manley is credited with establishing the Lake County Drug Court in 2015.
Prior to his appointment, he spent thirty-eight years in private practice in Polson. Over the course of his legal career, Manley also served as a city attorney for both St. Ignatius and Hot Springs and as a deputy county attorney in Lake County, where he began his legal career.
He received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Montana in 1973. Manley then completed a J.D. at Lewis & Clark Law School in 1978.
He and his wife, Julia, have six children. Manley served in the United States Army (1969 to 1971).