Christopher D. Chiles, 68, was born and raised in Huntington. He is the son of Georgia and Linden Chiles, longtime owner of Dickinson Bros. Furniture. A lifelong resident of Cabell County, Chiles followed in his father's footsteps and dedicated 41 years of service to his community. After graduating from Huntington High School in 1973, Chiles went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in political science, with honors, from the University of Tennessee in 1977 and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from West Virginia University's College of Law in 1980.
Chiles' career in Cabell County law began in 1980 when he became a partner in the law firm of Dodrill, Brown & Chiles. In 1990, he was appointed the Cabell County prosecuting attorney, a position in which he remained through his re-election in the six, four-year terms that followed. After more than 30 years as prosecuting attorney, Chiles was appointed by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin as the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court Judge in Cabell County in 2014. He held this position until his retirement in 2023.
Chiles has been recognized nationally, having served the National District Attorneys Association through several facets beginning in 1996 and serving as the president of NDAA from 2009-10. Chiles has served on multiple state committees, including the Governor's Drunk Driving Prevention Committee and the Substance Abuse Prevention Committee, and been a member of Huntington's Board of Directors. At Marshall, he served as an adjunct professor for the Criminal Justice Department and the Forensic Science Department's master's degree programs.
He has been married to his wife, Michaela, for 43 years, and they have three sons — Christopher, Drew, and Ben — and four grandchildren. Chiles is also an involved community member who has coached and refereed youth soccer and Little League baseball and sang the national anthem at many events. He is a member of the Sons of the American Legion Post 16 and B.P.O.E. Lodge. He is also a devoted member of his church, First United Methodist Church of Huntington, where he has served as a Sunday school teacher and choir member.
