A Message to My Community:
A New Chapter of Service
To my friends, neighbors, and colleagues across Tennessee:
In 2022, my friends and fellow community members of the 31st Judicial District of Tennessee (Warren and Van Buren counties) gave me the highest honor of my professional life by overwhelmingly electing me as your District Attorney General. I stepped into that office with one goal: to do "pure justice" for the community that raised me—the same community where I worked the tree nurseries and dairy farms as a young man, and where my wife and I have raised our four sons in the public school system and my wonderful hometown community.
As many of you know, my time in public office was met with a challenge I never expected. I found myself in the crosshairs of a political system that can be as unforgiving as it is corrupt. Facing a coordinated effort designed to dismantle my career and my family, I chose the only path that mattered: I chose my family over a title.
A Transition Rooted in Family and Mission
Following my resignation, my family and I relocated to Cleveland, Tennessee. This transition was a priority for our family; as an only child, my wife’s presence in her hometown allows us to provide the support and family connection that we value above all else.
I am not bitter about the path that led us here; I am profoundly thankful. That fire didn't just test me—it refined me. It replaced any naivety about our legal system with a battle-hardened perspective that very few attorneys possess.
Expanded Advocacy Across Tennessee
While Stanford Legal PLLC is now headquartered in Cleveland, my commitment to the people of this state has only grown. I have expanded my practice to serve the hard-working people throughout the Chattanooga and Winchester divisions of the Eastern District of Tennessee. Whether you are in Bradley, Hamilton, or McMinn, or in my home counties of Warren and Van Buren, my mission remains the same. I still own property in the 31st District, I am there frequently, and my ties to my hometown remain unbreakable.
A Warrior for the People
Today, I am taking everything I learned as your DA and returning to my roots in private practice. My mission has shifted from prosecuting the law to protecting the people. From the federal courts in Chattanooga and Winchester to the local courthouses of Middle and East Tennessee, you deserve an advocate who isn't intimidated by the "brute force" of the system. You deserve a lawyer who knows what it feels like to have his back against the wall—and knows exactly how to fight his way out.
I’ve walked through the fire. Now, let me stand in the gap for you!
Faithfully Yours,
Chris Stanford - Founder, Stanford Legal PLLC
Former Elected District Attorney General, 31st Judicial District