<p id=”par-1_14″>Todd and Julie Chrisley are out of prison and in the mood for payback. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-chrisley-knows-best-couple-say-their-defense-attorney-wasn-t-competent”>‘Chrisley Knows Best’ couple say their defense attorney wasn’t competent </h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-1″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe title=”The Chrisleys: Back to Reality – Trailer” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/UcqHAG5cwGM?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
<p class=”related-article__title”>
<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/todd-chrisley-accused-of-dodging-paying-up-in-nearly-1m-in-defamation-lawsuit.html/”>
Todd Chrisley Accused of Dodging Paying Up in Nearly $1M Defamation Lawsuit </a>
</p>
</div>
<p id=”par-2_37″>The <em>Chrisley Knows Best </em>couple <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/chrisley-pardon-rhonj-alum-joe-giudice-donald-trump-second-chance.html/”>received a pardon from Donald Trump</a> in May 2025. The reality TV stars had been serving time in federal prison after being convicted in a multi-million dollar tax and bank fraud scheme.</p>
<p id=”par-3_42″>In 2022, a jury found Todd and Julie guilty of fleecing Atlanta-area banks by using fake information to apply for loans. They then allegedly used that money to fund a lavish lifestyle and later filed for bankruptcy to avoid paying their debts. </p>
<p id=”par-4_40″>Despite their conviction, Todd and Julie have long maintained their innocence. Now, they are taking their former lawyer and his firm to court, arguing that he didn’t do enough to keep them from getting locked up, the <a href=”https://apnews.com/article/todd-julie-chrisley-conviction-lawsuit-447794530184fd6859461fc8f4456942″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Associated Press</a> reports. </p>
<p id=”par-5_46″>The Chrisleys’ case was “one of the most consequential federal criminal prosecutions in the country,” the pair argue in their lawsuit, which was filed June 5. The law firm of Balch & Bingham said it was capable of adequately defending the pair, but “it was not.”</p>
<p id=”par-6_50″>Chris Anulewicz, the Balch & Bingham partner who led their defense, “had no meaningful defense experience,” the Chrisleys claim. However, the firm was eager to have the USA Network stars as clients “because the Chrisley name meant money, publicity, and the kind of high-profile notoriety that brings in business.” </p>
<p id=”par-7_39″>Specifically, the Chrisleys say that Anulewicz should have done more to suppress evidence that was used against them at trial. In addition, the Chrisley say Anulewicz inappropriately steered them into a $75,000 investment with his brother-in-law’s food truck business. </p>
<p id=”par-8_23″>Todd and Julie have requested a jury trial and are seeking $25 million+ in damages, in addition to legal costs and attorney fees. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-was-todd-and-julie-chrisley-s-prosecution-politically-motivated”>Was Todd and Julie Chrisley’s prosecution politically motivated?</h2>
<p id=”par-9_65″>Since being released from prison, both Todd and Julie have attempted to resume their place in the spotlight. They starred in a new Lifetime series, <em>The Chrisleys: Back to Reality, </em>which focused on their reunion with their family post-prison. They also appeared on <em>The Masked Singer. </em><a href=”https://www.instagram.com/p/DY0ud-IlrMp/?img_index=1″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Todd has also</a> repeatedly <a href=”https://www.instagram.com/p/DY0w3m7wrkW/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>called out the judge</a> in their case, alleging she did not handle the case fairly.</p>
<p id=”par-10_65″>Meanwhile, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/savannah-chrisley-teases-run-congress.html/”>their daughter, Savannah Chrisley,</a> has spent years insisting that her parents were victims of a politically motivated prosecution. She alleges that the prosecutors referred to her family as the “Trumps of the South” during the trial. But when <a href=”https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/chrisleys-political-persecution-trump-pardon-records-1236416205/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Variety</a> reviewed the court transcripts, that language was nowhere to be found. And a juror said politics didn’t play a role in the decision to convict. </p>
<p id=”par-11_17″>“It was a slam dunk,” Glenda Hinton said. “We were unanimous, and it didn’t take us long.”</p>
<p id=”par-12_11″><em>For more news and exclusive interviews, follow </em><a href=”https://www.instagram.com/showbizcheatsheet/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”><em>Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram</em></a><em>.</em> </p>