Leland Enzor Jr. has announced he is seeking the office of probate judge.

Enzor, a Republican, said he hopes to follow in the footsteps of his late father, Leland Enzor Sr., a former probate judge who was sworn in for the first of five terms in 1959.

As a young man, Enzor spent many hours in his father’s office, and worked at the counter after school and summers for eight years.

He said his father once pointed to the chair in the judge’s office and said , “That chair belongs to the people of Covington County. They afford me the privilege of serving from it.”

“The office of Probate Judge belongs to the people,” Enzor said.

Enzor said that, looking back, it now appears that he has spent his life preparing for this moment. Enzor served as special probate judge in 2008 after Sherrie Phillips left office and before Bob Riley appointed Ben Bowden to the post. Then-Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb appointed Enzor.

“I was grateful for the honor of having the highest court in our state select me for the difficult task at that time,” he said. “I must admit that seeing the office become what it should be again was probably more special to me because of my family history.

“With great help from an excellent probate staff, the office was in order after about three hard months,” he said. “It was then I saw why my father cherished his time there. As things settled down, I had time to talk with our people, to help them, and to truly serve. I was hooked. I sincerely ask my people, the citizens of Covington County, to select me as your probate judge and you will have a true friend in the Courthouse.”

Enzor and his wife, Kathy Crew Enzor, have two children, Sarah Katherine (Katie) Enzor and Leland (Lee) Enzor III.

He was born and reared in Covington County and attended East Three Notch Street Elementary School; Andalusia High School and the University of Alabama.

He worked seven years as a three-state territory manager for the Kendall Company. He then attended Jones School of Law. In 1988, he co-founded the law firm of Enzor and Enzor with his father and has successfully managed the firm from March 1990 to present.

He has been active in the Covington County legal community. He helped the City of Gantt found their court system and served as its judge for seven years. He also helped the City of River Falls found their court system in 1994, and served as interim judge until a full time replacement could be found.

He served as assistant district attorney during the administrations of Eugenia Loggins, Greg Gambril and now Walt Merrill, handling criminal cases in juvenile court, district court and circuit court. He has served as assistant attorney general- Highway Department in 1988 and 1989 and for the Department of Human Resources from 1989 to the present.

He has practiced in city court, probate court, juvenile court, district court (civil and criminal), circuit court (civil, criminal and equity), court of civil appeals, court of criminal appeals, Alabama Supreme Court and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.

He has served his community as city attorney for Andalusia and later attorney for the Utility Board of Andalusia. He served four terms as president of the Covington County Heart Association. He has served on the board of directors of the Andalusia United Fund, Andalusia Ballet, Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce, Andalusia Housing Authority, South Central Mental Health Center and Executive Board of Directors of South Central Mental Health Center.

He is an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Andalusia and has served two terms on the church’s board of directors, is past chairman of its board of trustees, past vice-chairman of the pastor parish committee, Sunday school teacher and church lay leader.

He is a Master Mason with the Andalusia Lodge No. 434. He has been active in helping as an assistant coach for youth sports such as football, baseball and soccer for more than 10 years.