Christopher Watford

Associate

About

Chris served for nearly seven years as an assistant county attorney handling a variety of matters, from adult protective services to taxation. These duties placed him regularly in the courtroom, dealing with some of the most hotly contested issues involving a person’s family or property. As part of his responsibilities, Chris has appeared in various county district and superior courts, the Administrative Office of Hearings, Employment Security Commission, and the North Carolina Appellate Courts. In early 2018, Chris made the decision to return to the private practice of law and became “of Counsel” to Surratt & Thompson, PLLC, a role that was short lived after he became a full-time associate of the firm only a few months later. In March 2018, Chris was selected to be among a group of less than twenty-five attorneys state-wide who are authorized to handle appeals on behalf of indigent parents in juvenile law cases. His legal practice areas include administrative law; appellate litigation; real estate; guardianship; wills, trusts, and estates; planning and zoning matters, as well as representing clients in a variety of special proceedings including adoptions and partition actions.

Chris is a lifelong resident of Davidson County and is involved in several clubs and organizations. Chris is a published author, historian, and regular contributor of articles dealing with local history.  In 2018, the Davidson County Board of Commissioners appointed Chris to serve on the Yadkin River Park Committee where he now chairs a subcommittee committed to the cataloging, preservation, and archaeological exploration of cultural and historic resources in the Fort York/Trading Ford area along the Yadkin River. Chris lives in the Arcadia Community in northern Davidson County with his wife, Christina, and their two children, James and Andrew.

Practice Areas

• Appellate Litigation
• Civil Litigation
• Guardianship
• Wills, Trusts, Estates
• Land Use (Planning and Zoning)
• Partitions

Christopher Watford

Associate

Education:

• Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, Buies Creek, North Carolina
  • J.D. – 2008
• Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina
  • BS. – 2000
  • Major: History
  • Major: Secondary Education

Bar Admissions:

• North Carolina
• S. District Court Middle District of North Carolina

Published Cases:

• In re Eric R. Inhaber, 2023 N.C. App. Lexis 481 (N.C. Ct App August 15 2023)(vacating District Court order suspending attorney from practicing law in District 22A for one year).
• In re K.B., A.M.H., M.S.H, 2023 N.C. App. Lexis 443 (N.C. Ct. App. August 1 2023)(vacating order for electronic visitation and remanding to trial court for proper findings). Subject to pending Notice of Appeal to NC Supreme Court based on dissent filed by Chief Judge Stroud discussing significance of DSS violations of the Interstate Compact on Placement of Children (ICPC).  
• Boulware v. University of North Carolina Board of Governors, ex rel Winston-Salem State University Board of Trustees, 2023 N.C. App. Lexis 395 (N.C. Ct. App. July 5 2023) (discussing termination of employee for alleged violations of Clery Act)
• Pope vs. Davidson County, ____C. App. ____, 885 S.E.2d 119 (2023) (addressing Board of Adjustment procedure in denial of special use permit to develop Motocross facility in RA-3 district).
• In re J.R. and J.C., 279 N.C. App. 352,866 S.E.2d 1(2021)(affirming in part and vacating and remanding in part order for guardianship and visitation).
• In re R. P. and X.P., 276 N.C. App. 195, 856 S.E.2d 858 (2021)(vacating and remanding a juvenile adjudication and disposition order for a new hearing)
• In re Q.M., Jr., 275 N.C. App. 34, 852 S.E.2d 687 (2020)(vacating and remanding a juvenile adjudication and disposition order for a new hearing)
• In re J.M., 271 N.C. App. 186, 843 S.E.2d 668 (2020) (affirming in part and vacating and remanding in part when trial court failed to make required statutory findings).
• In re D.L.A.D, 375 N.C. 565, 849 S.E.2d 811(2020)(affirming TPR for appellee upon basis of neglect).
• In re Z.O.G.-I., 375 NC 858, 851 S.E.2d 298 (2020)(securing a reversal of an order terminating a father’s parental rights of a father based on the trial court’s misapprehension of law).