James was born and raised in Arkansas, moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and moved back to Arkansas before deciding to go to law school.

He attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello, receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance in 2017 his Master’s in Jazz Studies in 2018. Upon graduation, he worked as a band director for 1 year in El Dorado, Arkansas, before moving to Nashville, TN, where he lived for two years, working retail and performing live, as well as teaching drum lessons. After moving back to Arkansas, James got his real estate license, and after working for a lawyer in his hometown, decided to attend law school. He was accepted to Bowen law school in 2023 and is set to graduate in 2026.

James and his wife Emilia have been married for 2 years. In their free time, they love to spend time running errands, cooking, playing games together, and continuing to build a life as a couple. Their dream goal is to have a house with land, a dog, and two highland cows.