If you’ve been keeping up with the Chrisley family saga, you know it’s been a whirlwind of court dates, emotional podcast episodes, and headlines that move faster than a reality TV plot twist. For a long time, the answer to the question where is Julie Chrisley was straightforward: she was at a federal facility in Kentucky. But things changed dramatically in mid-2025.
As of early 2026, Julie Chrisley is actually no longer in prison.
She was released from the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Lexington in Kentucky on May 28, 2025. This wasn't because she finished her seven-year sentence or because her legal team finally won a standard appeal. It happened because she received a full presidential pardon from Donald Trump.
Honestly, the whole situation felt like a fever dream for fans. One day she was facing several more years behind bars, and the next, her son Grayson was picking her up at the gates in Lexington.
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The Long Road to FMC Lexington
Before the pardon changed everything, Julie spent about 28 months inside FMC Lexington. People often wonder why she was at a "Medical Center" if she wasn't necessarily in a health crisis. In the federal system, these facilities often house inmates who need specific types of care, but they also have "satellite camps" for minimum-security inmates who don't have a history of violence.
Julie wasn't exactly living the life of luxury she showcased on Chrisley Knows Best.
Former inmates who served time with her described her as "quiet" and "reserved" at first. She eventually became known as a bit of a "card shark" during recreation time. While she was there, her daughter Savannah was very vocal about the conditions, complaining about the heat and the lack of air conditioning during the humid Kentucky summers.
Why the location kept changing in 2024
You might remember a weird period in late 2024 where Julie seemed to "disappear" from the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website.
She was listed as "not in BOP custody."
This sparked a ton of rumors. Was she out? Was she in a halfway house? Nope. She was actually being moved by U.S. Marshals to Atlanta for a resentencing hearing. Because she was in transit—basically being shuttled between various local jails and transport hubs—she was technically out of the BOP's day-to-day tracking system.
It was a rough stretch for her. Her lawyer, Alex Little, argued that these transfers involved long hours in vans while shackled, which he called an "undue physical hardship."
The 2024 Resentencing Drama
In June 2024, an appeals court actually vacated Julie's original 84-month sentence. They found that the trial judge hadn't properly linked her to the entire bank fraud scheme from the very beginning. For a few months, the family was incredibly hopeful. They thought she might get credit for time served and head home by Christmas.
That hope hit a wall in September 2024.
Judge Eleanor Ross wasn't having it. Despite the appellate ruling, the judge reimposed the exact same seven-year sentence. She told Julie directly that being a parent doesn't give someone a "pass" from criminal conduct.
At that point, Julie went back to Kentucky, and it looked like she’d be there until 2028 or 2029.
The Pardon That Changed 2025
The real turning point came in May 2025. Donald Trump, who had been vocal about "injustices" in the legal system, issued a wave of pardons. Both Todd and Julie Chrisley were on that list.
The release was almost instant.
- May 27, 2025: The news of the pardon broke via a phone call to the Chrisley children.
- May 28, 2025: Todd was released from his Florida prison (FPC Pensacola), and Julie was released from FMC Lexington.
Since then, Julie has been back in Tennessee, focusing on her family and reportedly filming a new docuseries for Lifetime. It's a far cry from the forklift certification classes and food service shifts she was taking while incarcerated.
What’s Next for Julie?
Even though she’s out, the legal shadow hasn't completely vanished. A pardon wipes away the prison time, but the "restitution" side of things—the millions of dollars the court says they owe—is often a separate, stickier mess. Plus, the family is still dealing with the fallout of their public image.
If you're looking for Julie today, here is the current reality:
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- Location: She is living as a private citizen, primarily in the Nashville, Tennessee area.
- Career: She is returning to reality TV, but with a "docuseries" angle that focuses on their life after prison.
- Legal Status: She is no longer under the supervision of the Bureau of Prisons.
The saga of the Chrisleys has always been about "family first," at least according to their brand. Now that Julie is home, she's trying to rebuild the years she lost with Grayson and Chloe. Whether you're a fan or a critic, there's no denying that her exit from the federal system was as dramatic as her entry.
Actionable Next Steps
If you want to stay updated on the specifics of their new show or any further legal filings regarding their restitution:
- Follow Savannah Chrisley's "Unlocked" podcast. She is usually the first to drop "inside" information that hasn't hit the major news outlets yet.
- Check the Middle District of Tennessee court records. Any new business ventures or civil issues usually pop up there first.
- Look for the Lifetime docuseries. It's expected to air later this year and will likely show the first footage of Julie's return home.