Richard Alan Enslen
Encyclopedia
Richard Alan Enslen is a United States District Court
Judge assigned to the Western District of Michigan
, Southern Division. His Courtroom is located in the Federal Building in Kalamazoo, Michigan
.
Enslen was born in Kalamazoo. He served in the United States Air Force
, 1951-1954, and graduated from Wayne State University
with an LL.B. in 1958. He worked as an assistant trust officer with First National Bank & Trust Company in Kalamazoo in 1958. He served in the U.S. Peace Corps
in Costa Rica
, 1965-1968. He served as a municipal court judge in Kalamazoo, 1968-1969, and as judge of a Michigan District Court, 1969-1970. When not in public service, he maintained a private law practice in Kalamazoo.
In 1970, Enslen was the Democratic Party
candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives
in the race for Michigan's 3rd congressional district
seat. He lost in the general election to incumbent Republican Garry Brown
. He returned to private practice in Kalamazoo, 1970-1979.
Enslen was nominated by U.S. President Jimmy Carter
on November 30, 1979, to a seat vacated by Noel Peter Fox
on the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 20, 1979, and received his commission on December 21, 1979. Enslen served as chief judge of the court, 1995-2001, and assumed senior status
on September 1, 2005.
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
Judge assigned to the Western District of Michigan
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over of the western portion of the state of Michigan, including the entire Upper Peninsula....
, Southern Division. His Courtroom is located in the Federal Building in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
.
Enslen was born in Kalamazoo. He served in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, 1951-1954, and graduated from Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
with an LL.B. in 1958. He worked as an assistant trust officer with First National Bank & Trust Company in Kalamazoo in 1958. He served in the U.S. Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, 1965-1968. He served as a municipal court judge in Kalamazoo, 1968-1969, and as judge of a Michigan District Court, 1969-1970. When not in public service, he maintained a private law practice in Kalamazoo.
In 1970, Enslen was the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in the race for Michigan's 3rd congressional district
Michigan's 3rd congressional district
Michigan's 3rd congressional district is a United States Congressional district in Western Michigan. It consists of the counties of Barry, Ionia, and all except the northwest portion of Kent. The district is currently represented by Republican Justin Amash, the second youngest member of the house...
seat. He lost in the general election to incumbent Republican Garry Brown
Garry Brown
Garry Eldridge Brown was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Garry Brown had four daughters, Frances, Mollie, Amelia, and Abigail. His family owned and operated a dairy farm while he was growing up, in Schoolcraft, Michigan...
. He returned to private practice in Kalamazoo, 1970-1979.
Enslen was nominated by U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
on November 30, 1979, to a seat vacated by Noel Peter Fox
Noel Peter Fox
Noel Peter Fox was a United States federal judge.Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Fox received a Ph.B. from Marquette University in 1933 and a J.D. from Marquette University Law School in 1935...
on the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over of the western portion of the state of Michigan, including the entire Upper Peninsula....
. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 20, 1979, and received his commission on December 21, 1979. Enslen served as chief judge of the court, 1995-2001, and assumed senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
on September 1, 2005.