Steve Stamson was re-elected clerk for the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County in the Aug. 3 election. First elected to the position in 2002, his second consecutive term began Sept. 1.

Stamson is responsible for all Juvenile Court records. His office also is responsible for transporting juveniles to court, as well as adults who fail to pay child support - the majority of cases by far, he said.

Stamson has worked in Shelby County government for more than 20 years, with 12 years in the juvenile court system, and said he loves his job. He attributes the efficiency of the juvenile courts in Memphis and Shelby County to a group of loyal employees who know their jobs well.

Stamson is an active member of several local political and civic organizations, including the Countrywood Neighborhood Association, the Shelby County Republican Party, the East Shelby Republican Club and the Northeast Shelby Republican Club.

Stamson's wife of 26 years, Debbie, recently was elected to her first term as Shelby County Clerk. The Stamsons have two sons and two grandchildren.

Q: As Shelby County's Juvenile Court clerk, what kind of impact do you hope to have on the children of Memphis and Shelby County?

A: The clerk's office impacts the children of the community by timely service of all child support process, timely processing of all child support-related petitions and the collection and distribution of any child support payment to the custodial parent to help meet the needs of the child.

Q: What does the Juvenile Court clerk do?

A: The clerk is responsible for keeping the social and legal records of the court, processing all payments made through the court, which include child support payments, all court costs, fines and fees assessed through the Juvenile Court system judicially or non-judicially. Also, the clerk keeps the minutes of all court dockets and provides security for the entire juvenile court building and grounds while maintaining proper courtroom decorum. The bailiff's department is also responsible for the safe and secure transport of all juveniles and adults to various correctional and detention facilities. Last, the clerk serves all process papers for the court, which are documents that require a person to appear in court.

Q: What led you to work in the Juvenile Court system?

A: I received a call from Bob Martin [Juvenile Court clerk from 1984 to 2000] in May of 1993. He said he was looking for someone to fill the position of chief deputy of the Juvenile Court Clerk's Office. He said that I had been highly recommended by other elected officials and the administrator of the Shelby County Personnel Department. I had worked in the Shelby County Clerk's office for the past 10 years as the manager of the Business Tax Division. Richard C. "Sonny" Mashburn had recently passed away and I felt like it was a good career move, so I accepted his offer. I have enjoyed every day that I have worked in the Juvenile Court Clerk's Office. Most of the staff that I worked with under Mr. Martin work for me now.

Q: In your position, is there an opportunity for you to help children before they are in the Juvenile Court system?

A: In my position, I could possibly help children indirectly before they get into trouble by continuing to run an efficient office and collect and distribute any support payments for these children accurately and timely. Having extra funds in the household could deter some lesser crimes caused by the inability of some children to get things their peers have.

Q: What types of cases are the most common in Juvenile Court, and why do you think those are so common?

A: The most common adult cases are new parentage cases, which are due to a high number of children born out of wedlock. Also common are contempt of court cases. Most parentage cases and the high divorce rate result in court-ordered child support, which requires constant enforcement due to non-payment. The most cases involving children would be assault with 3,277 cases in 2005, disorderly conduct with 3,054 cases in 2005, theft of property - $500 or less - 1,533 cases in 2005.

Q: How does your experience in the military help you in your current position?

A: It helps with teamwork within the office, discipline and communicating properly with clients to accomplish our goal - public service.