By Dave Jordan

Dave Jordan, Circuit Judge for Escambia County, announces that he has qualified to run for election to that judicial position in the General Election to be held on Nov. 8, 2016. Judge Jordan was appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley on July 1, 2014, to fill the unexpired term of Retired Circuit Judge Brad Byrne.

Prior to taking the circuit bench last year, Jordan had served as district judge for Escambia County since 2003. In that capacity, he also served as Juvenile Court Judge and continues to handle some juvenile court responsibilities as a circuit judge. Jordan practiced law before taking the bench with the law firm Otts, Moore, Jordan and Coale. Jordan qualified as a Republican.

Jordan has created several programs during his tenure designed to benefit youth and families in Escambia County. The Escambia County Family Drug Court, Project Turnaround and CLOUD (Choosing Life Over Using Drugs) are successful efforts to combat the destructive effects of substance and alcohol addiction and abuse, as well as high-risk juvenile delinquency. He also has been successful in obtaining over $600,000 in grant funding in support of these programs. While the state has cut employees in the court system since 2007, that grant funding has enabled Jordan to increase the staff working in these programs, adding four additional employees.

“I’ve told my staff that while we cannot save every troubled child and broken parent we deal with we will not accept defeat and we will fight every day regardless of the magnitude of the societal problems we face,” Jordan said. “When we see a troubled teen turn the corner or a healthy, drug-free baby born to a drug court participant, that is a victory we rejoice in and it fuels us to keep doing the hard work. When it comes to children and families in Escambia County, we will not retreat and we will not be deterred from our mission.”

As part of the Drugs Erase Dreams (DED) Team, Jordan has helped present that message to over 2,000 people in Escambia County. DED has in three years been presented at least once in every high school in the county, in several churches both in Atmore and Brewton, as well as in civic settings and at Poarch. DED will be presented in all middle schools in March 2016.

From his taking the bench in 2003, Jordan served as Chair of the Escambia County Children’s Policy Council (CPC) until 2014. Under his leadership CPC grew, expanded and played an integral role in developing programs to benefit families and children.

In 2012, Jordan was elected President of the Alabama District Judges’ Association, which includes all district judges throughout the State. Jordan was honored as Judge of the Year by the Alabama Forestry Association in 2010. He has served on numerous state wide judicial committees since 2003, and currently serves on the Circuit Judges’ Legislative Committee.

Jordan is a past president of the Brewton Habitat for Humanity, Brewton Kiwanis Club, Brewton United Way, Brewton YMCA Board of Directors, Brewton Community Theatre Board of Directors and served two terms on the Brewton Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He is a member of the Brewton Kiwanis Club, Atmore Lions Club, Atmore Chamber of Commerce, Escambia County CPC, Coalition for a Healthier Escambia County, the Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association and the Alabama Juvenile Judges’ Association.

Jordan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama in 1981 and a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1984. Licensed to practice law by the Alabama Bar in 1984, Jordan also was admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

He served as an assistant district attorney for Escambia County from 1996 until taking the District Bench in 2003 and as a special assistant attorney general from 1990 until 2003.

Jordan and his family are members of Brewton First Baptist Church, where he is treasurer of the Sanctuary Choir, fifth grade Sunday school teacher and an ordained deacon. He enjoys acting and has been a member of the Mockingbird Players for ten years. Jordan has played various roles through the years as a part of productions of the Brewton Community Theatre and GECA.

Dave and his wife, Becky have been married for 30 years, and are the proud parents of Matt (28), Jill (24) and Coale (21).