Judge James W. Chandler was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the Circuit Court bench in 2026 following the retirement of the Honorable Elizabeth V. Krier.

Judge Chandler is currently assigned to the Unified Family Court Division in Collier County.

Prior to his appointment Judge Chandler was in private practice for eighteen years (2008-2026) focusing on Federal and State Criminal Defense, Family and Marital Law, Juvenile Delinquency, Juvenile Dependency, and Domestic Violence cases.

Prior to private practice Judge Chandler spent more than three years in the Collier County State Attorney's Office where he prosecuted Misdemeanor (County Court), Juvenile Delinquency (Circuit Court) and Adult Felony (Circuit Courts). Prior to joining the State Attorney's Office he was an Associate at the Law Firm of Romsa & Kuker, LLC in Boulder, Colorado.

Judge Chandler is a Florida Supreme Court certified Circuit Civil, Family Law, County Court and Appellate mediator and has conducted thousands of mediations prior to taking the bench.

Judge Chandler has been recognized and named to Florida SuperLawyers for fourteen years in a row (2013-2026) and has been recognized with an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell (2019-2026) and was featured as one of Naples Top Lawyers by Naples Illustrated in 2019 and 2024.

Judge Chandler born and raised in West Virginia and is a 2000 graduate of West Virginia University, and a 2002 graduate of the University of Denver, College of Law. Judge Chandler is licensed to practice in the State of Florida, State of Colorado, and the District of Columbia. Judge Chandler is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States.

When not on the bench Judge Chandler enjoys time with family and the family's two rescue dogs.

• State of Florida
• State of Colorado
• District of Columbia
• Supreme Court of the United States
• U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida
• U.S. District Court District of Colorado

• University of Denver, College of Law, Denver, Colorado, 2002 J.D.
• West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, 2000 B.S.
  Major: Journalism with concentration in Public Relations