Chancellor Carol McCoy was awarded a B.A. degree with honors from the University of South Florida in 1969 and a J.D. from the Vanderbilt School of Law in 1973.

First elected to the bench in August, 1996, Chancellor McCoy was re-elected in 1998 and 2006. Prior to her elevation to the bench, she was a partner in the firm of Davies, Cantrell, Humphreys and McCoy for fourteen years. From 1975 to 1982, she was a partner in the firm of Farrell and McCoy. Prior to this, she served as a staff attorney for the Tennessee Department of Revenue in 1975, and served as a Staff/Managing Attorney for Legal Services of Nashville from 1973 to 1975. She has two sons.  Dwight and Davis Chambers.

An active member of numerous civic, business and professional organizations, Chancellor McCoy is married to the Honorable Roger Page, Circuit Judge for Madison, Chester and Henderson Counties.