Grant Blackburn on Monday announced his candidacy for Baldwin County District Court judge, saying he is running to continue a long family tradition of public service and to bring “experience, fairness and a deep commitment to Baldwin County to the District Bench.”
“I am seeking your support for my election to the District Bench because I believe it is the best way that I can serve the people of Baldwin County and contribute to the place I have always called home,” Blackburn said.
Blackburn’s family has served Baldwin County for more than a century. His twice-great-grandfather, Joe Blackburn, served on the commission tasked with building the Baldwin County Courthouse in Bay Minette in 1901. His grandfather, J.B. Blackburn, began practicing law in Bay Minette in the 1920s and continued until his death in 1989. Blackburn’s father later opened his law practice in the same office in the early 1990s.
A lifelong Baldwin County resident, Blackburn grew up in Bay Minette, attended high school in Daphne and spent summers in Orange Beach working as a deckhand on a charter boat. He attended Samford University, majoring in Southern History, and graduated in 2009. During college, he also earned his real estate salesperson’s license and his 100-ton captain’s license from the United States Coast Guard.
Blackburn graduated with honors from Cumberland School of Law in 2012 and returned home to Baldwin County immediately after passing the bar.
For more than a decade, Blackburn worked in private practice with Blackburn & Conner, PC, where he handled a wide range of legal matters, including land use and real estate law, as well as litigation involving complex business disputes, bankruptcy matters, federal constitutional claims and other high-stakes cases.
Blackburn also advised and represented Baldwin EMC for nearly all of his years in private practice and said he gained valuable experience working with public-sector legal matters through the firm’s service as Baldwin County attorneys.
“Those years taught me that it is crucial to be honest, to grow every day as a student of the law, and to always listen—especially when things become contentious,” Blackburn said. “People want to be heard, and they want to know that you care enough to do your level best.”
In 2020, Blackburn transitioned away from a litigation-heavy practice to spend more time with his family. He and his wife, Laura, have two young children, J.B. and Evie. Blackburn said his family’s journey—including learning that his daughter has a rare genetic disorder affecting fewer than 100 people worldwide as of 2026—strengthened his commitment to serving others with compassion, patience and perspective.
Since 2022, Blackburn has also served as the captain of a vessel for a large general contracting firm while continuing to handle appellate work and transactional legal matters for a variety of clients. One of his most rewarding professional accomplishments he said came when he successfully presented oral argument before the Alabama Supreme Court in a complex real estate dispute.
Blackburn and his wife are members of Orange Beach Church, where Grant Blackburn serves on a financial committee.
Blackburn said his life and work have brought him into contact with people from all walks of life—from former inmates to corporate executives—reinforcing his belief that the values of honesty, fairness, authenticity and candor matter to everyone.
“These are the principles I will hold close as a District Court Judge,” Blackburn said. “I would be honored to have your support at the Republican Primary on May 19.”
