Justice Bryan was raised in Crenshaw County, where he grew up on his family’s farm. Justice Bryan credits his parents for instilling in him a belief of faith and love for family values. He graduated from Brantley High School in 1974, went on to obtain his Bachelor and Master of Science Degrees from Troy University, and afterward received a Juris Doctorate from the Jones School of Law. In the year 2012, Justice Bryan was elected to the Alabama Supreme Court and was also named “Judge of the Year” by the Family Law Section of the Alabama Bar Association. Justice Bryan's re-election in 2018 was unopposed in both the primary and general elections.