Chanley Painter is a recognized American journalist and legal correspondent currently serving as an overnight anchor and field reporter for Fox News Channel, a role she began in February 2024 after years covering major criminal cases on national television.
She became known for her legal reporting on high-profile trials, including those of Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard and Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd, during her tenure at Court TV.
Painter’s transition to Fox News followed her award-winning work as a legal correspondent and reflects her prominence in televised legal journalism.
Her established reputation stems from her ability to explain complex legal proceedings to wide audiences and her consistent presence in national news coverage.
Early Life
She grew up in Conway, Arkansas. She attended the University of Central Arkansas, graduating as a Presidential Scholar with a bachelor’s degree in political science and speech communication. After college, she entered a concurrent degree program at UA Little Rock’s Bowen School of Law and the Clinton School of Public Service, completing both a Juris Doctor with high honors and a Master of Public Service in four years.
From an early age, she showed an interest in law. She recalled that as a child she often watched the legal drama Matlock rather than cartoons. She also noted that the family TV was always on with news programming in her home while growing up, which contributed to her interest in current events and legal matters.
Outside of academics, she was active in music. She became an accomplished fiddle player and was a state fiddle champion in Arkansas during her youth.
| Fact Category | Verified Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Chanley Shantel Painter |
| Profession | American journalist and legal correspondent |
| Current Employer | Fox News Channel |
| Current Role | Overnight anchor and legal correspondent |
| Previous Network | Court TV |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree; Juris Doctor; Master of Public Service |
| Legal Background | Former deputy prosecuting attorney |
| Bar Admissions | Arkansas and Tennessee |
| Major Trial Coverage | Depp–Heard, Derek Chauvin, Murdaugh, Weinstein |
| Net Worth (Estimated) | $300,000–$5 million (as of 2026, unconfirmed) |
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Professional Beginnings
Chanley Painter began her professional career in the legal field after earning a Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and a master’s degree from the Clinton School of Public Service.
After passing bar examinations in Arkansas and Tennessee, she worked as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Arkansas’s 16th Judicial District, where she handled criminal prosecutions and courtroom proceedings.
Her work as a prosecutor provided direct experience with trial preparation, evidentiary standards, and courtroom advocacy, forming the foundation for her later transition into legal journalism.
Role Progression & Industry Contributions
Painter entered broadcast journalism in 2016 when she joined Nexstar’s Little Rock television stations KARK-TV and Fox 16 as a legal analyst.
In this role, she provided on-air legal explanations and trial analysis, applying her prosecutorial background to help audiences understand complex court proceedings.
She later advanced into a full-time multimedia journalist position, reporting from the field and covering major criminal cases.
In 2019, she moved to national television by joining Court TV as a legal correspondent and field anchor, where she became a central figure in the network’s courtroom coverage during its relaunch.
Notable Career Milestones
At Court TV, Painter was assigned to gavel-to-gavel coverage of major trials across the United States.
Her reporting portfolio included nationally significant cases such as the Johnny Depp–Amber Heard defamation trial, the Murdaugh murder trials, the Harvey Weinstein criminal case, and the Derek Chauvin trial.
Her work emphasized real-time courtroom reporting and clear legal analysis.
In recognition of her contributions and leadership in legal journalism, she received the Scripps Give Light Award in 2021, highlighting her role in delivering accessible and authoritative trial coverage to a national audience.
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Current Position & Ongoing Initiatives
Chanley Painter currently works as an overnight anchor and correspondent for Fox News Channel, a role she assumed in early 2024.
In this position, she anchors overnight news programming and contributes legal reporting across the network’s coverage.
Her responsibilities include providing live trial updates, breaking legal news, and in-depth courtroom analysis for Fox News viewers.
She continues to report on active criminal trials and legal proceedings, drawing on her background as a practicing attorney to contextualize legal developments for a national audience through ongoing on-air reporting.
Chanley Painter Net Worth
As of 2026, Chanley Painter’s net worth is estimated to range between $300,000 and $5 million, although these media-based figures have not been confirmed by any major financial outlet. Her income primarily comes from her work in journalism and law. She currently serves as a Fox News anchor and legal correspondent, previously reported for Court TV, and earlier practiced as an attorney. Her past beauty pageant winnings have also made a modest contribution to her overall wealth.
