Todd and Julie Chrisley – the legally embattled former stars of USA Network’s Chrisley Knows Best – recently received some major news in regard to their ongoing prison stints. The couple had their sentences reduced and, needless to say, that marks major progress for the two, as they continue to try to have their convictions overturned entirely. Of course, there’s now a question of whether they might end up getting more time shaved off in the long run. Their lawyer has spoken out on the matter and, based on his comments, he seems somewhat optimistic about their chances.
The former reality TV couple were found guilty of bank fraud, tax evasion and more in the summer of 2022 and were later sentenced to years in prison. They both reported to their respective facilities in January 2023. Todd Chrisley, who’s at Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, was set to serve 12 years but due to the reduction, will now be released almost two years early. Meanwhile, Julie is in Kentucky’s Federal Medical Center Lexington, where she was serving seven years, though her sentence has been cut by 14 months.
Amid their incarcerations, a number of family members and representatives have been speaking out on their behalf. One of the key people who has been doing just that is family attorney Jay Surgent. It was initially reported that the Chrisleys could potentially get more time off due to new regulations that are set to be implemented later this year. Surgent opened up about those rules during an interview with People. Though the attorney can’t say for sure if his clients will see more reductions, that – at the very least – doesn’t seem totally out of the question, at this point:
They were able to get some time off for both of them. There's going to be the adoption of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, changes, modifications, recommendations for reduction of sentences for nonviolent offenders. So [I] don't know at this point in time, but they should be getting two points a piece for that. So that'll further reduce their sentences.
While it remains to be seen whether the situation will play out in the Chrisleys’ favor, it would seem that their legal team is currently doing what it can to ensure they’re in a prime position. Jay Surgent went on to tell the news outlet that he’s working closely with the Department of Justice when it comes to the couple’s case. He also further conveyed his optimism over their chances of success:
There's hope. There's always hope, but I feel as though they have a strong appeal.
Jay Surgent provided an update on the Chrisleys’ appeal and retrial attempt in August, explaining that their fates were in the hands of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. His more recent comments line up with sentiments from his colleagues. Alex Little, another one of the pair’s lawyers, previously explained that he was “optimistic” about their appeal. In his estimation, their case featured “serious and repeated errors.” While opening up about his retrial hopes on a separate occasion, he called out the Georgia Department of Revenue for allegedly initiating an “unconstitutional” search among other things.
As the lawyers have argued the merits of the case, much has also been said about Julie and Todd Chrisley’s purported prison conditions. Jay Surgent claimed the two were experiencing poor living conditions and that “sex, drugs and cell phones are making their way into these institutions.” Those allegations came on the heels of assertions from two of the couple’s kids – Chase and Savannah. The former was adamant that their parents have access to air conditioning, while the latter alleged that Julie has seen snakes in her living space.
When it comes to the lengths of Todd and Julie Chrisley’s prison sentences, the public will have to wait and see how the legal system ultimately impacts them. The proceedings for the Federal Sentencing Guidelines mentioned by their lawyer are set to take place on November 1.
