Christopher Gale was born in England in about 1679. He emigrated to North Carolina by 1701, where he initially established himself as a trader. His mercantile career was short-lived and he quickly attained a career in politics, serving as a justice to the North Carolina General Court in 1703 and serving as the colony's attorney general in 1704. He served as the chief justice of the General Court from 1706 to 1708. He became the chief justice again in 1712, serving until the spring of 1717, though not always appearing in court due to his rocky relationship with then-governor Charles Eden. After some time spent in England, the Bahamas, and Charles Town, South Carolina, Gale returned to North Carolina on a permanent basis in 1721, again serving as the chief justice of the colony. After a fallout with Governor George Burrington in 1724, Gale left North Carolina and went to England where he advocated successfully for Burrington's removal. Gale returned to his office of chief justice from 1725 to 1730. He died in Albemarle County in 1735.