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Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice

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The U.S. Marshal Service

    Art 

    Rachel 

    Raylan 

    Tim 

    Nelson 

Deputy U.S. Marshal Nelson Dunlop

Played By: Mel Fair

US Marshal assigned to the Lexington Field Office.


  • Body Double: In "Decoy" he is passed off as Raylan. He even wears the hat.
  • Butt-Monkey: Nelson isn't the brightest, and as such is frequently taken advantage of by Raylan.

    Dan 

Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Dan Grant

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Daniel_Grant_6731.jpg
"You do know we're not allowed to shoot people on sight any more?"
Played By: Matt Craven

Raylan's boss in Miami, who reassigns him back to Kentucky following the shooting of Tommy Bucks.


  • Benevolent Boss: To Raylan, who he likes and protects.
  • Cool Old Guy: He's in his older age, but that doesn't stop him from being a snarky badass and Reasonable Authority Figure.
  • Da Chief: He's the Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Miami office.
  • Deadpan Snarker: In his few appearances, he shows himself to have a sharp tongue.
    "How's the hat? I was wondering if it shrunk, you know, got a little too tight, you had to take it off your head and now you're suffering from sunstroke?"
  • A Father to His Men: When Gio becomes threatening, Dan becomes protective.
  • Hero of Another Story: Like Raylan says, Miami is a sunny place for shady people. Dan has his hands full with the cartel and other fugitives, usually off-screen.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: He's understanding of tough situations, but doesn't let his Marshals get away with murder.
  • U.S. Marshal: In Miami.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: With Raylan; they trade good-natured barbs but they respect and like each other immensely.
  • Team Dad: Of the Marshal Service in Miami.

    Charlie 

Deputy U.S. Marshal Charlie Weaver

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8b3e226b7901fac880d70dadeab2cbb6.png
Played By: Casey Sander

The US Marshal in charge of the evidence locker.


  • Cool Old Guy: Shown when he drives away in an expensive sports car with millions of dollars, laughing at how he was able to get away with it.
  • Dirty Cop: A sympathetic and downright fun version. He steals a great deal of money from the evidence locker to ensure his retirement. He's last seen driving off in an expensive sports car, laughing as he goes.
  • Nice Guy: Charlie is pleasant and accomodating to pretty much everyone he meets.
  • Put on a Bus: To Mexico for a well-deserved vacation.

    Kirkland 

Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Ed Kirkland

Played By: Shashawnee Hall

A Chief Deputy US Marshal based in Detroit, Michigan.


  • Da Chief: He's the Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Detroit Office, and briefly takes over in Kentucky when Art is incapacitated.
  • Hero of Another Story: Detroit is the home of the Detroit Mob, so he's not lacking for work over there. He also seems to have a well-storied past with Picker.
  • U.S. Marshal: The Chief Deputy for Detroit.

    Karen 

Assistant Director Karen Goodall

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/KarenSisco_8912.jpg
Played By: Carla Gugino

The Assistant Director of the United States Marshals Service. She is essentially Karen Sisco, but is unable to go by that name due to copyright laws. The explanation here for the name change is that she's since married.


  • Action Girl: She's able to easily throw down with mobsters.
  • Amicable Exes: Implied with Raylan from some of their interactions, and the slightly plaintive look she gives when she sees Raylan kissing Winona.
  • The Cameo: For Karen Sisco, under a different name.
  • Cowboy Cop: Much like Raylan, she's willing to use colorful methods to do her job. She's slightly more restrained and mature than Raylan, however.
  • Expy: Of Karen Sisco.
  • Lawyer-Friendly Cameo: Legal problems meant the creators couldn't use Karen Sisco exactly, but merely changed her last name, cast the person who'd played her in the Karen Sisco series and heavily alluded to it.
  • U.S. Marshal: Assistant Director, no less.

    Nichols 

U.S. Marshal Bill Nichols

Played By: Michael Harding

  • Character Death: He's shot and killed by Terry Powe/Walter Vondas.
  • Nice Guy: Nichols is professional, considerate and is affectionately known as "Uncle Bill" by the young daughter of one of his witnesses.

    Sutter 

Deputy U.S. Marshal Greg Sutter

Played By: David Koechner

A US Marshal in the Florida division who partners with Raylan Givens in his investigation of Elvis Machado.


Local Law Enforcement

    Hunter 

(Former) Sheriff Hunter Mosley

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Hunter_Mosley_6968.jpg
Played By: Brent Sexton

"Raylan, you listen to what your mama taught you and not that old son-of-bitch you may turn out all right. But I wouldn't count on it, 'cause we both know whose voice it is that makes you do what you do."

Hunter Mosley is the sheriff of Harlan — and, like sheriffs before and after him, can be counted on to be in bed with various criminal elements, particularly the Miami drug cartel. He has a long-standing hatred of the Crowder criminal family, however, due to a tragic and violent event in his own family's history.


  • Affably Evil: Hunter is a pretty fun guy, even after revealing his true colours.
  • Cowboy Cop: While he was still a cop.
  • Cynicism Catalyst: The brutal death of his niece seemed to have turned him from an honest cop into a Dirty Cop willing to make a Deal with the Devil in order to get revenge on the killer. Subverted, when he tells Raylan that he has always been a Revenge Before Reason type of person.
  • Dirty Cop: A pretty sympathetic version. He allows the Cartel to run drugs through Harlan for the purpose of keeping local home-grown threats like Bo Crowder behind bars. His deputies are pissed off when he's put in jail.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Hunter has some fantastic lines.
  • Deal with the Devil: He made a deal with the Miami cartel. In exchange for the location of his niece's killer, he agreed to become their man in Harlan.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones: His Start of Darkness was due to the violent death of his beloved niece.
  • Evil All Along: He seems like a helpful Reasonable Authority Figure before it's revealed he's a Dirty Cop.
  • Fallen Hero: He was an honest lawman before the murder of his niece set him down a darker path.
  • A Friend in Need: When he finds out that people are looking for his friend Drew Thompson he declines a generous deal from the Marshals and goes as far as kill Arlo Givens to protect his friend. He knows that without the Marshals' protection he will be brutally tortured and killed in prison but to him friendship is more important.
  • He Who Fights Monsters: Mosley killed a horrible pedophile who killed his niece...and in doing so, became a criminal himself.
  • Honour Before Reason: Strongly believes in this. His code of ethics isn't tied up with the law, but with honour, revenge, loyalty and blood for blood. It's somewhat telling that the Cartel couldn't buy him with money, but with the prospect of revenge.
  • Keeping Secrets Sucks: Because he knows who Drew Thompson is, he has to deal with questioning and intimidation from Raylan, as well as possible threats from the Dixie Mafia and the Detroit Mob.
  • Killer Cop: Kills Mr. Duke, tries to kill Raylan and Ava, and later murders Arlo (though he's no longer a cop at that point).
  • Mirror Character: From Raylan. Both are Cowboy Cop types who count the Crowders as archenemies. Hunter even seems to have some insight as to why Raylan acts the way he does. He's certainly not wrong; by the end of the season Raylan has reached out to Sammy like Hunter reached out to Gio Reyes. They are now both complicit in the murder of someone who harmed their family.
  • Nothing Personal: Spoken word-for-word when he shivs Arlo.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Before the revelation that he's a Dirty Cop.
  • Revenge Before Reason: He sells himself out to the Miami cartel to get revenge when a Crowder rapes and kills his niece. Even now he seems to hold a major grudge against the remaining members of the Crowder family.
  • Secret-Keeper: He knows who Drew Thompson is.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Prison hardened him considerably.
  • Tragic Villain: Something horrible happened to his family, and even when he was a Dirty Cop he was still trying to protect Harlan from major threats.

    Doyle 

    Napier 

Tillman Napier

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Tillman_Napier_586.jpg
"The shit follows me home like a three-legged dog."
Played By: David Andrews

Tillman Napier is the sheriff of Harlan — and, like sheriffs before and after him, can be counted on to be in bed with various criminal elements. He is particularly connected with the Dixie Mafia. Unlike some other crooked officials in the region, he has few redeeming qualities and is liked and trusted by almost no one on either side of the law.


  • Dick Dastardly Stops to Cheat: He was a popular incumbent virtually guaranteed to win re-election but as soon as another candidate showed up he started cheating.
  • Dirty Cop: Overlapping with Corrupt Politician, since the office of sheriff is an elected one. He barely hesitates when Quarles shows up with a Briefcase Full of Money.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: He is almost guaranteed to win the election but his attempts to discredit Shelby inspire Boyd to think of new, ingenious ways of stealing the election from under him.
  • Jerkass: Napier is a smug jerk at his most basic; arrogant, corrupt, greedy and snobbish.
  • The Sheriff: Of Harlan County.
  • Slimeball: His attempt at charm comes across as condescension. He's also seen drunkenly moping around at a swinger's party.
  • Wounded Gazelle Gambit: He makes it look like Boyd tried to kill him so he can get voter sympathy and discredit Boyd's candidate at the same time.

    Shelby 

Sheriff Shelby Parlow/Drew Thompson

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ShelbyParlow_7731.jpg
"I think ... if you pretend to be something long enough, it's not pretending."
Played By: Jim Beaver

"The way I see it, this is my last chance to make something useful of myself before I head to the wrong side of the grass."

The police officer turned security chief for the Black Pike Mining Company. After his life is saved by Boyd, he agrees to run against Tillman Napier for Sheriff… Or at least that’s what we’re supposed to believe. In reality he’s Drew Thompson; Former member of the Detroit Mob who tried (and failed) to kill Theo Tonin before making off with millions in cocaine and cash before faking his death, landing in Harlan County and putting down roots.


  • Becoming the Mask: Becoming a police officer was just a way to be Hidden in Plain Sight but after decades of doing the job he has become an honorable lawman who tries to do the right thing.
  • Blatant Lies: During an armed standoff he tells his opponents that he is dying of cancer and thus has nothing to lose.
  • Cool Old Guy: He might be in his later years, but Shelby is still a total badass who regularly outwits much younger people.
  • Deal with the Devil: With Boyd as the devil, albeit a Noble Demon.
  • The Dog Bites Back: In season 4, he grows tired of the bullying and manipulation he endures from Boyd's criminal organization. He secretly provides sanctuary to Ellen May and tries to build a case against Boyd.
  • Faking the Dead: In order to get away from the FBI and to escape Theo Tonin's vengeance, he threw a man out of a plane and made everyone think that the dead man was him.
  • From Camouflage to Criminal: Was a fighter pilot in Vietnam before joining (and betraying) Theo Tonin.
  • Hidden in Plain Sight: He's secretly Drew Thompson, wanted by the FBI and Theo Tonin...and he gets a high-ranking job in law enforcement not once but twice.
  • Hookers and Blow: While serving in the Vietnam War, he met Arlo outside of a brothel.
  • Man Behind the Man: While not a bad guy, he technically is this to everyone who dabbled in crime in Harlan in the past few decades - his cocaine and cash essentially transformed the shitkickers of Kentucky into crime lords.
  • Moral Myopia: Raylan and Rachel accuse him of this. They do not believe that he really regrets sabotaging Waldo's parachute and watching the man plummet to his death and think that he is still trying to justify his actions as something that he needed to do.
  • Nice Guy: Even when he is in Boyd's pocket, he's still a much more decent fellow than his opponent.
  • Reformed Criminal: He was a drug runner and murderer who became a (mostly) honest police officer.
  • Refuge in Audacity: And how. The man betrayed Theo Tonin, faked his own death, parachuted into Kentucky with enough coke to jumpstart the entire criminal economy in Harlan, became a police officer, and after losing that job managed to come back as sheriff of the entire county. Art in particular is especially impressed once he puts all the pieces together about him.
  • Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Shelby seems to dictate his actions by this; as Sheriff, he does work with Boyd if he sees it as harmless or for the greater good.
  • Secret Identity: He's Drew Thompson with a new identity.
  • The Sheriff: He was the Sheriff of Harlan County before ending up in Black Pike Security. He eventually gets his job back.
  • Walking Spoiler: Much of the fourth season hinges on the fact that he’s actually Drew Thompson.
  • Will They or Won't They?: With Ellen May.

    Mooney 

Sheriff Nick Mooney

A corrupt deputy who worked under Doyle Bennett, Tillman Napier and Shelby Parlow before becoming Harlan County Sheriff himself, Nick Mooney is out only for himself, and will do anything to advance his career. He's in bed with numerous criminals, first working as muscle for Doyle as a member of the Bennett Police Department, and then working with, in order, the Dixie Mafia, Boyd Crowder, and Lee Paxton after transferring to the Harlan County Sheriff's Department. Smug, underhanded, and more than a little stupid, Mooney can be counted on to sell out his bosses as soon as he gets a better offer.


  • Ambition Is Evil: Mooney wants to be the sheriff so much that he typically betrays whoever is in charge at the time.
  • Asshole Victim: Nick Mooney was a repulsive excuse for a lawman, so not many tears were shed when Boyd arranges his murder.
  • Big Bad Wannabe: He wants to be the all-powerful corrupt Sheriff. Yet even after Shelby is revealed as Drew Thompson, Mooney can't do any better than acting as someone else's hired thug.
  • Character Death: Capped in broad daylight during "Shot All To Hell".
  • Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Betrays Doyle to Boyd, Tillman to Shelby, Boyd to Paxton, and Paxton to Boyd.
  • Conspicuously Public Assassination: Boyd arranges for him to be murdered in a busy diner.
  • Dirty Cop: He's massively corrupt, working for the Bennetts, Boyd, and the Clover Hillers.
  • Dragon with an Agenda: To Doyle, and later begrudgingly to Doyle's come-and-go successors.
  • Dumb Muscle: For Doyle, Napier, Boyd and Paxton.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Mooney has a son with special needs.
  • Groin Attack: Mara does this to him in "Good Intentions" while Boyd threatens him.
  • Jerkass: Mooney is a vile, repulsive man who intimidates Mara with the implied threat of sexual violence.
  • Karmic Death: Shot to death in a diner by an agent of one of the men he betrayed.
  • Opportunistic Bastard: A very low-functioning one. Mooney has no real loyalty to anybody, and will gladly work for anyone who will advance his "law-enforcement" career, from Doyle Bennett to Lee Paxton. His refusal to just pick a side in the Boyd Crowder/Lee Paxton war is what ultimately gets him killed.
  • Slimeball: He tries to clumsily play the white knight to a woman by her comatose husband's hospital bed. It makes the skin crawl.
  • Smug Snake: He's overconfident of his abilities to an idiotic degree, believing that Boyd is scared of him. Boyd doesn't even view him as an equal, much less a threat. Doyle, Napier and Shelby were all smart and crafty but Mooney is too stupid to be anything but the muscle for someone else.
  • The Starscream: To whoever is the Sheriff at the time.

    Bergen 

State Trooper Tom Bergen

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Tom_Bergen_7949.jpg
"I've been in Harlan 18 years. People still look at me like I'm some kinda yankee come down to burn their crops."
Played By: Peter Murnik

A Kentucky state trooper who befriends U.S. Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens, Tom Bergen is a Kentucky State Trooper who lends valuable support to numerous investigations. He is married with two children.


  • Character Death: Tom is shot and killed by Arlo, who mistook him for Raylan.
  • Happily Married: He makes frequent reference to his wife and children.
  • Jurisdiction Friction: Averted, despite being a State Trooper, he has no problem working alongside Raylan and tends to be quite helpful.
    • Played straight with the corrupt Doyle Bennett. Both Raylan and Bergen go from a relaxed posture to a resting their hands on their guns when Doyle pulls up on a crime-scene they're investigation.
  • Nice Guy: Tom is just an affable and genial fellow.
  • Sacrificial Lamb: Tom's death is what spurns Raylan on to confront Duffy and finally take down Quarles.

    Bob 

Constable Robert "Bob" Sweeney

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d1a0e508247ae1b3fbd5ac6bc5f55924.jpg
"Hell, yeah, I got a badge. And I got balls like Death Stars. Let's do this."
Played By: Patton Oswalt

Raylan Givens: People underestimate Bob at their peril.

A poorly paid constable eager to prove himself.


  • The Alleged Car: Drives a beat-up 1974 AMC Gremlin equipped with police lights, since the government doesn’t provide him with a vehicle and his salary is too meager to afford him a proper police car.
    • By the end of the series it’s shown Bob acquired a much more appropriate Ford Crown Victoria for his constable duties.
  • A-Team Firing: During a gunfight with Gerald Johns and Lee Paxton, he pumped plenty of bullets into the house and landscape, but he couldn't hit either of his opponents.
  • Berserk Button: DO NOT disrespect him while he is performing law enforcement duties. Two Clover Hillers belittled him when he came to their house on behalf of Raylan, resulting in a gunfight.
  • BFG: He pulls out a machine gun during a gunfight with Gerald Johns and Lee Paxton and sprays their house with bullets.
  • Beware the Silly Ones: He might have an overinflated self-image, but he saved Raylan's life by using his knife at the right moment during a standoff. Also when Yolo was beating Bob for information, he found out the hard way that he probably should have taken Bob more seriously and had him tied up first.
  • Chekhovs Knife: When we first see Bob, he brags about the knife he carries on his belt. The knife ends up saving the day later in the episode and then has a triumphant return many episodes later when it once again saves the day.
  • Combat Pragmatist: When Bob is cornered he does not fight fair. As a child he put a bully in a coma by hitting him on the head with a hammer. When shot at by two drunk Clover Hillers, he brings out an automatic assault rifle. He carries a knife on his belt specifically so that during a close-up fight he can stab his opponent in the groin or leg.
  • Cornered Rattlesnake: In high school, he clobbered a bully with a hammer during shop class. Yolo also found out Bob can be dangerous when cornered.
  • Crazy-Prepared: Bob tries to be this, wearing a knife to use on someone going for his gun, and keeping a "go-bag", complete with loaded assault rifle, in his squad car.
  • Cowardly Lion: Bob does let his fear get to him. Not that it stops him from stepping up when he's needed.
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: As Raylan says, people under-estimate Bob at their peril. He endures brutal torture from a Tonin henchman, and even manages to turn it around on his captor, killing Yolo with his knife while not even being able to stand.
  • Determinator: Bob's chief asset. He may not be on the same level as Raylan or Boyd when it comes to genuine combat skills, Bob will simply not go down easy, as many opponents have learned to their detriment.
  • Establishing Character Moment: Bob's story regarding the bully he took out with a hammer in high school. It shows that when Bob is outmatched, he will do anything to win.
  • Hero-Worshipper: He feels the same way about Raylan that the fans do.
  • I Just Want to Be Badass: Little Bob's dearest wish: but why, Bob, you were a badass all along!
  • Inferiority Superiority Complex: He's a small town constable earning a pittance salary, but he constantly brags about how tough and well-equipped he is.
  • Let's Get Dangerous!: Underestimating Bob is a very bad idea. When the chips are down, he shows just what he's capable of.
  • Morality Pet: For Raylan. In "Collateral", Raylan must choose between aiding an injured Bob and killing Boyd. Raylan chooses to drive Bob to the hospital, showing that he still clings to some semblance of a moral code.
  • No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: He's on the receiving end of one from Yolo, before he kills Yolo in self-defense.
  • Real Men Get Shot: When he confronts Boyd in "Collateral", Boyd shoots him twice. Raylan drives him to the hospital in time to save his life.
  • The Reliable One: May not be as big or as tough as Raylan, but he's always someone Raylan can rely on.
  • Stab The Hostage: He just suffered a Groin Attack and had trouble seeing straight.

    Crosley 

Officer Crosley

Played By: Robert Neary

A dirty cop working on Markham's payroll.


  • The Brute: For Markham.
  • Character Death: Boyd kills him during the shoot-out with Markham at the Bennett barn.
  • Dirty Cop: He works for Markham, and he doesn't just take bribes. He actively helps Markham out with his illegal activities, including murder.
  • Jerkass: He's a wholly unpleasant man.

    Birch 

Officer Birch

Played By: Otto Krause

A dirty cop working on Markham's payroll.


  • Character Death: Markham kills him after he's taken hostage by Boyd.
  • Dirty Cop: He works for Markham.
  • Shoot the Hostage: Boyd takes Birch hostage to try and gain the advantage over Markham. Unfortunately for Birch, when it comes to keeping him alive, Markham and dead owls don't give a hoot.

    Lapiccola 

Officer Lapiccola

Played By: Jeffrey Pierce

A Harlan County cop.


  • Cowboy Cop: Hilariously, he threatens to put Raylan in the trunk much like Raylan originally said to Dewey Crowe.

Prison Guards

    Ash 

Ash Murphy

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/murphy_ash_7119.jpg
Played By: Todd Stashwick

A corrupt prison guard with designs on Dickie Bennett and the Bennett money.


  • Asshole Victim: Of Layla's.
  • Character Death: Layla kills him to tie up all the loose ends.
  • Dirty Prison Guard: To a horrific extent. He even breaks Dickie out of prison to get the Bennett fortune.
  • Evil Sounds Deep: Due to being played by Todd Stashwick, who has an intimidating baritone.
  • Greed: All his actions are motivated by his lust for the Bennett money.
  • He Knows Too Much: Layla kills him to eliminate the possibility that he'll give up his cohorts to the Marshals.
  • Jerkass: Ash is aggressive, greedy, corrupt and brutal.
  • Karmic Death: Executed by his own comrades.
  • Sickbed Slaying: Layla kills him while he's in hospital, injecting an air bubble into his brain.
  • You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: He does this to a friend helping him with Dickie Bennett.

    Albert 

Albert Fekus

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fekus_albert_5885.jpg
"We're just havin' a conversation, is all."
Played By: Danny Strong

A prison guard who takes a disturbing interest in Ava.


  • The Bully: He abuses his authority as a prison guard, bullying and later framing Ava.
  • Bullying the Dragon: He is specifically told that Ava is protected and given a demonstration of what will happen if he messes with her again. Still he cannot help himself and frames her for stabbing him.
  • Dirty Coward: He turns into a sniveling coward when threatened by someone more powerful, such as Boyd or Duffy.
  • Dirty Prison Guard: He threatens Ava and even tries to rape her.
  • Evil Is Petty: Albert is, shall we say, 'sensitive' about his height.
  • Eye Scream: Narrowly averted at the hands of Susan Crane.
  • Faux Affably Evil: His 'aw shucks' demeanor lasts all of two seconds before he begins making threats.
  • Frame-Up: In "Shot All To Hell", he plants a shank in Ava's cell and injures himself to make it look like she attacked him.
  • Honey Trap: How Boyd takes him captive.
  • Karma Houdini: He seemingly suffers no repercussions for framing Ava in Season 5. It's subverted in Season 6 when it's revealed he was forced to confess to set Ava up as an informant which resulted in him losing his job and his pension. Wynn Duffy also tortures him with a cattle prod for information.
  • Laser-Guided Karma: He tried to prey on Ava during her stint in prison, them framed her for stabbing him. His stunts cost him his job, his home, and his pension, and also got him in dangerous trouble with Ava's criminal associates, including Boyd and Duffy.
  • The Napoleon: Albert doesn't take kindly to his height being mentioned.
    Albert: Now answer my question.
    Ava: I was thinking, aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?
  • Never My Fault: When Boyd captures him and asks Albert why he tried to assault Ava, Albert claims that he has a "medical condition".
  • Slimeball: A perverse, insecure little man taking joy in abusing what little authority he has.
  • Wounded Gazelle Gambit: He injures himself with a shank to make it look like Ava attacked him.

    Crane 

Susan Crane

A prison guard who clashes with Albert.


  • Dirty Prison Guard: She's working for Boyd.
  • Eye Scream: After beating Albert, she threatens to burn his eye out with a lit cigarette unless he promises to leave the prisoners alone.

    Glenn 

Glenn Cosgrove

Played By: Kai Lennox

A prison guard who had an affair with an inmate.


  • Shut Up, Hannibal!: While delivering a self-pitying, pathetic excuse for his repulsive actions, Raylan is too disgusted to hear it.
    Glenn: Thing is, I had 10 grand, and Jess said it wasn't enough for the risk he was taking. He had a solution, though. He'd heard there's people that'd pay-
    Raylan: Glenn, we got it. You knocked up an inmate, you hired someone to murder her and sell your child. Now shut the hell up, or Tim's gonna hit you in the face.

Judges, Lawyers & Attorneys

    Vasquez 

David Vasquez

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vasquez_david_4623.jpg
Played By: Rick Gomez

The highly competent Assistant US Attorney investigating Raylan's shootings.


  • Amoral Attorney: A notable aversion; while his actions may be antagonistic, he's only adhering to the law. Vasquez isn't corrupt or amoral, and let's be honest, it's perfectly reasonable to want to investigate a man of the law who shot someone in ambiguous circumstances.
  • Big Good: Spearheads the case to take down Boyd Crowder.
  • The Bus Came Back: He was recurring in Season 1, and only returned in Season 3. Since then he's turned up off and on.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Oh, massively. Every other line is a witty putdown of some sort.
  • Defeat Equals Friendship: Once the investigation against Raylan is behind them, he and Raylan enjoy a pretty friendly relationship (even if it is Vitriolic Best Buds).
  • Good Is Not Nice: Vasquez can be a jerk from time to time, but only when pursuing cases. It may be part of a charade he puts on.
  • Good Is Not Dumb: He's one of the sharpest characters on the show.
  • Friendly Enemy: He's not Raylan's enemy, per se, but he's the guy who's always trying to prosecute Raylan for his latest Cowboy Cop stunt. Subverted with Katherine Hale, despite their First-Name Basis with each other. What seems initially like small talk between the two is filled with vitriol.
  • Hero Antagonist: He helps out Raylan when he can, but he's still an attorney and has to prosecute anything Raylan does that's illegal. In "Collateral", when Raylan goes rogue, he sends out a BOLO for Raylan and intends to indict him.
  • It's Personal: With Katherine Hale.
  • Jerkass: He lashes out at Art and Rachel in "Fugitive Number One" after Ava runs by accusing them of being dirty, which naturally infuriates Art. Later, when Raylan goes rogue in "Collateral", Vasquez lashes out at the staff of the marshals' office, knocking papers off a man's desk and telling everyone that they're accessories to a crime. However...
  • Jerkass Has a Point: His repeated insistence that Ava is an unreliable CI and that Raylan is too close to her is entirely correct, and his case against Boyd goes south fast.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: In "Trust", he's frustrated with Ava's poor performance as a CI and decides that she will return to prison once Boyd is arrested. This makes Ava so desperate that she shoots Boyd and flees with the $10 million he stole from Markham, jeopardizing the case against Boyd.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Vasquez is doing his job, and he does it well. This means he cuts through the bullshit but is sympathetic to circumstances and character.
  • Sharp-Dressed Man: Always clad in a nice suit.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: With Raylan, eventually.

    Mike Reardon 

Judge Mike "The Hammer" Reardon

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Michael_Reardon_1735.jpg
"My personality invites derision."
Played By: Stephen Root

"Sometimes you can flush all you want and there's just that one floater that won't go down."

A take-no-prisoners judge with a strange reputation.


  • Authority Equals Asskicking: A high court Judge packing a pistol.
  • Bunny Ears Judge: Very eccentric, his underwear choices are funny, and he is always armed (especially in court), but he is competent and can't be corrupted. In his first episode he basically admits that his kookiness is a put-on: if people think he's loco they're less likely to oppose him.
  • Dirty Old Man: He has a tendency to cavort with attractive young women, usually strippers.
  • Expy: Of Maximum Bob Bob "Biggs" Gibbs, a character from another Elmore Leonard novel. Reardon's actually a Lighter and Softer version of the character: Biggs was worse.
  • Good Is Not Soft: He has a reputation for delivering maximum sentences to criminals. He's called "the Hammer" for a reason.
  • Hanging Judge: Mike is infamous for handing out tough sentences.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Mostly to the people he's judging, for whom he shows no sympathy. He also has something of a temper. Still, he does try and do the right thing, and is haunted by a past mistake.
  • Kavorka Man: He's always around beautiful women.
  • My Greatest Failure: The Kit McKendrie case. Reardon gave McKendrie a light sentence, only to learn that McKendrie shot a child and a law enforcement officer soon after. Reardon now gives much more severe sentences to criminals.

    Wildman 

Billy “Wildman” Geist

Played By: Don McManus

"Now, most lawyers will tell you to plea it out anyway, but I don't plea bargain ever, and that's why they call me the Wildman!"

The lawyer for Ava Crowder. He's used as a smokescreen for Boyd and Ava to talk.


  • Amoral Attorney: His entire role is to put his headphones on so Boyd and Ava can talk about what illegal methods they can use to get Ava out of prison and their criminal enterprise. He doesn't seem to mind getting paid for being a smokescreen.
  • I Need a Freaking Drink: After getting the news that Ava's is being moved to a more high-security facility and there's a new set of charges against her, Wildman goes to inform Boyd. He needs a drink to deliver the news, and can hardly be blamed for it.
  • Smarter Than You Look: Geist is well-aware that he's paid to stick headphones in his ears, but he claims to be a good lawyer and such a claim has been backed up so far. Every suggestion Ava makes, Geist has already thought of.

    Keyhoe 

Marsha Keyhoe

Played By: Jeanetta Arnette

Dewey Crowe's attorney who represents him in his case against the US Marshals and later represents Daryl Crowe Jr. when David Vasquez is trying to prosecute him.


  • Amoral Attorney: She's perfectly comfortable playing any and all cards available to protect her scumbag clients. Dewey might be a lovable idiot, but Daryl is a monstrous piece of work who Keyhoe happily defends.

    Sonya 

Sonya Gable

Played By: Romy Rosemont

An attorney representing Arlo Givens.


  • Amoral Attorney: There aren't many lawyers who would jump headfirst into actual criminal activities that include kidnapping and mutilating an old man.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

    Barkley 

Agent Jeremy 'Jerry' Barkley

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Barkley_5637.jpg
"...I'm FBI. Wait your turn."

An FBI agent surveying Sammy Tonin. He comes into conflict with Raylan over allegations of corruption.


  • Asshole Victim: A smug Dirty Cop and Jerkass Hypocrite who gets what he deserves from Nicky Augustine.
  • Bald of Evil: He's not as bald as Nicky or as evil as Nicky, but he's still a shiny-headed Dirty Cop. Perhaps in the Justified world, baldness is directly related to evil. In which case, they ought to keep an eye out for Art.
  • Boom, Headshot!: Courtesy of Nicky Augustine.
  • Character Death: Not only does he fail Nicky Augustine and the Tonins when it comes to finding Drew Thompson, but he makes things worse by trying to con money out of them. Nicky has enough and casually shoots him in the head.
  • Childhood Friends: With Nick Augustine.
  • Deadpan Snarker: In a very Jerkass way.
  • Dirty Cop: He secretly worked for the Tonins before his death in "Kin".
  • Evil Is Petty: Still holds a grudge against Raylan.
  • Four Eyes, Zero Soul: Behind those little glasses lurks the soul of a true opportunistic bastard.
  • Greed: And it gets him killed.
  • Hidden Depths: After the audience has watched him behave like a jerk for several seasons, they get to see his jovial, friendly side when he talks with his childhood friend Nick Augustine. Before Nick murders him, that is.
  • Horrible Judge of Character: Barkley believes Raylan to be dirty and working for the Tonins. This may be averted, though; given the later revelation of his status as The Mole, it seems highly likely he'd know whether or not Raylan was dirty and was just helping his mobster friends take him out of the equation by impeding him.
  • Hypocrite: He goes after Raylan for ostensibly being 'dirty' when Barkley himself is massively corrupt.
  • Jerkass: A massive one. Even when he's not on-screen. He's briefly spoken to on the phone (off-screen) in Season 4, and simply hangs up when Art tries to speak with him.
  • Jurisdiction Friction: Barkley is disrespectful toward other law enforcement agencies; it's notable, considering the general portrayal of law enforcement agencies on the show depicts them as working together.
  • The Mole: For the Tonins.
  • Mole in Charge: Barkley leads the FBI team monitoring Sammy Tonin, but he works for the Tonin family.
  • Never My Fault: He fails to apologize to Raylan, and actually tries to maintain that Raylan is guilty despite all the shaky evidence being thrown out.
  • Opportunistic Bastard: Barkley isn't a planner, but he does try to seize an opportunity for himself by trying to cheat Nicky out of a ridiculous amount of cash. It doesn't work out for him.
  • Surprisingly Sudden Death: It's arguable; re-watching his death scene gives all kinds of hints as to what's coming. The atmosphere in the room, Nicky's anger disguised as buddy-buddy ball-busting...but it's still a shock when he's abruptly shot in the head.
  • Stupid Boss: In his pursuit of Raylan for being 'dirty', he ignores blatant evidence pointing to such an accusation being false. Or perhaps he was just working on the orders of the Tonin family until he couldn't keep the charade up anymore without drawing suspicion to himself. Whatever the case is, it was still a stupid idea to try and trick Nicky Augustine into paying him for a job he knew he wouldn't be able to do.

    Barnes 

Alex Barnes

Played By: Josh Stamberg

A dirty FBI agent who was an accomplice to Detroit thug Mason Goines.


Other Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice

    Edmunds 

Sharon Edmunds

Played By: Aja Evans

A bail bondswoman and old friend of Raylan.


  • All Girls Want Bad Boys: She admits to being susceptible to this in the past with regards to Raylan, but now she's matured a little and considers him to be a little juvenile.
    "See, Raylan there, he's got the badge and the drawl and the whole squinty, sexy thing, and there was a time I would have run right to him, done the whole merry-go-round. Now I see that for what it is, and him for who he is. That man's an emotional disaster."
  • Back for the Dead: After making her initial appearance in the Season 4 premiere, she returns after a short gap of episodes only to be killed off fairly quickly by Jody Adair.
  • Bounty Hunter: Officially she's a bail bondswoman, which is basically the same thing.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Most certainly, bantering easily with Raylan about hotel room nuts and hilariously describing him as having a "squinty sexy" look.

    Mitch 

Mitch

Played By: Kevin Daniels

A fellow bondsman of Sharon Edmunds that helps to apprehend Jody Adair when he was captured by Raylan Givens.

    Lee 

Simon Lee

Played By: Ron Yuan

A rogue Coast Guard who helped out the Crowe family in their smuggling of contraband sugar.


  • Character Death: Dilly shoots him, but Machado is the one who finishes him off.
  • Dirty Coast Guard: He helps the Crowes smuggle in contraband sugar.
  • Jerkass: Dilly might be an idiot and a screw-up, but Lee himself comes across as far more unlikable due to behaving like a dick.
  • Tempting Fate: He repeatedly makes fun of Dilly's stutter, when he knows that the dim-witted Crowe is a trigger-happy loon.

    Miller 

Agent Alex Miller

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/miller_alex_7854.jpg
Played by: Eric Roberts

A veteran DEA agent working out of Memphis, he's got more than a few things in common with Raylan, and a complicated relationship with drug kingpin, Hot-Rod Dunham.


  • The Alcoholic: Although he isn't seen drunk, his Quick Nip habit seems to indicate this.
  • Antagonist in Mourning: Inverted. Miller seems quite saddened by Hot-Rod's death.
  • Badass Boast: He warns Danny Crowe that if he unholsters, Danny will be the second man he's shot in a single day.
  • Celebrity Paradox: In an earlier episode, Art says that he doesn't like Julia Roberts because she "looks too much like Eric". Miller is played by Eric Roberts.
  • Cool Old Guy: Miller is a snarky, confident badass right into his later years.
  • Cowboy Cop: He has all the hallmarks of Raylan, right down to the trademark item (Raylan's hat, Miller's revolver) and heavy doses of snark. It's seen most clearly when he can't resist being goaded into a 21-foot-rule showdown with Danny Crowe.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Every other line is a sharp quip.
  • Foil: He's Raylan in twenty years or so, right down to the bad attitude and poor relationship with his family.
  • Friendly Enemy: With Hot-Rod Dunham. They had a Raylan-Boyd kind of relationship.
  • Hero of Another Story: He and Hot-Rod were Memphis' Raylan and Boyd for fifteen years, apparently.
  • Quick Nip: He is never without his flask.
  • Revolvers Are Just Better: He eschews the standard sidearm for D.E.A. agents in favour of his beloved revolver.
    Raylan: I didn't know D.E.A. still used revolvers.
    Miller: Well, they don't, officially. But a .357 will never let you down. Not like those glocks or Smith & Wesson 9's. They jam so bad, you can spread them on your breakfast toast.

    Henkins 

Agent Henkins

Played By: Joshua Harto

A Tennessee DEA agent who accompanies Alex Miller and Raylan Givens on their investigation of Rodney Dunham.

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