Courts in New Mexico
| More information on New Mexico's state courts: |
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| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In New Mexico, there is one federal district court, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
The image below depicts the flow of cases through New Mexico's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
Judicial selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in New Mexico
The five justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court, the 10 judges of the New Mexico Court of Appeals, and the judges of the New Mexico District Courts are chosen through partisan elections. To serve additional terms, judges must receive at least 57% of the vote in a nonpartisan retention election.[1]
To read more about judicial elections in New Mexico, click here.
Federal courts
The federal district court in New Mexico is the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.
Appeals from these federal courts go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.
Active judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 21, 2001 - |
Virginia Military Institute, 1981 |
Washington and Lee University School of Law, 1985 |
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| August 1, 2003 - |
Yale, 1978 |
University of Virginia Law, 1981 |
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| August 9, 2013 - |
University of New Mexico, 1988 |
University of New Mexico School of Law, 1994 |
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| December 31, 2019 - |
University of Oklahoma, 1987 |
University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1990 |
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| October 22, 2021 - |
University of Texas, El Paso, 2003 |
New York University School of Law, 2006 |
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| January 14, 2022 - |
University of New Mexico, 1997 |
University of New Mexico School of Law, 2001 |
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| February 21, 2023 - |
The University of New Mexico |
The University of New Mexico |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 4
- Republican appointed: 3
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
State supreme court
- See also: New Mexico Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the court of last resort in New Mexico. The court may hear direct appeals in cases of life sentences or writs of habeas corpus. Additionally, all cases from the Public Regulation Commission and election challenges go directly to the Supreme Court. The court has discretionary jurisdiction to grant or deny petitions for writs of habeas corpus, certiorari and any other extraordinary writs. The court may also consider certified questions from the New Mexico Court of Appeals or federal courts, but it is not obligated to do so.[2][3]
The following judges sit on the court:
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| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Supreme Court | Shannon Bacon | Democratic | February 4, 2019 |
| New Mexico Supreme Court | David K. Thomson | Democratic | February 4, 2019 |
| New Mexico Supreme Court | Julie Vargas | Democratic | January 25, 2021 |
| New Mexico Supreme Court | Michael E. Vigil | Democratic | December 31, 2018 |
| New Mexico Supreme Court | Briana H. Zamora | Democratic | August 9, 2021 |
State court of appeals
- See also: New Mexico Court of Appeals
The New Mexico Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in New Mexico. The Court of Appeals has jurisdiction in civil, non-capital criminal and juvenile cases, as well as discretionary jurisdiction in accepting requests for interlocutory and administrative agency appeals. The court takes all appeals from lower courts except those involving capital punishment or life imprisonment, those involving habeas corpus and appeals from the Public Regulation Commission. The court takes about 900 cases each year.[4][3]
The following judges sit on the court:
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
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2011 - Present |
Susana Martinez |
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July 29, 2020 - Present |
Michelle Lujan Grisham |
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March 1, 2020 - Present |
Michelle Lujan Grisham |
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2019 - Present |
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2018 - Present |
Susana Martinez |
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2019 - Present |
Michelle Lujan Grisham |
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2019 - Present |
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|
2019 - Present |
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|
2021 - Present |
Michelle Lujan Grisham |
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April 26, 2021 - Present |
Trial courts
- See also: New Mexico District Courts
Courts of general jurisdiction
District Courts
- See also: New Mexico District Courts
The district courts are courts of general jurisdiction in which jury trials are held. They are organized into 13 judicial districts with 94 judges covering New Mexico's 33 counties.[3]
Courts of limited jurisdiction
Magistrate Court
- See also: New Mexico Magistrate Court
The magistrate courts are courts in New Mexico with jurisdiction over cases such as landlord-tenant rights, traffic violations, and preliminary felony hearings. There are 67 magistrate judges in New Mexico, serving in 54 magistrate courts.[3]
Municipal Courts
- See also: New Mexico Municipal Courts
The municipal courts have jurisdiction over cases including municipal ordinance violations, traffic violations, DWI/DUI, and petty misdemeanors. There are 83 municipal judges in New Mexico, serving in 81 municipal courts.[3]
Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court
- See also: Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court
The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court has jurisdiction in Bernalillo County only over cases involving landlord-tenant rights, traffic violations and preliminary hearings on felony arrests. There are 19 judges sitting on this bench. Additionally, this court may hold jury trials.[3]
Probate Courts
- See also: New Mexico Probate Courts
The probate courts hear estate cases and informal probate cases. There are 33 probate judges in 33 counties. This court does not hold jury trials.[3]
Problem-Solving Courts
- See also: New Mexico Problem-Solving Courts
The problem-solving courts have intense judicial oversight designed to prevent relapses among offenders in certain types of cases. Four types of drug courts—adult, juvenile, family dependency, and DWI—and mental health courts fall under the umbrella of problem-solving courts.[5]
Administration Court
The Workers' Compensation Administration Court is composed of five judges who mediate cases dealing with workplace injuries.[6]
In other states
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Constitution," accessed September 2, 2021 (Article VI Section 33)
- ↑ New Mexico Courts, "Supreme Court - Court Information," accessed March 2, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 New Mexico Courts, "About the Courts," accessed March 2, 2021
- ↑ New Mexico Courts, "Court of Appeals - About the Court," accessed March 2, 2021
- ↑ New Mexico Courts, "Problem-Solving Courts - About Us," accessed March 2, 2021
- ↑ New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration, "WCA Judges," accessed March 2, 2021
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of New Mexico • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of New Mexico
State courts:
New Mexico Supreme Court • New Mexico Court of Appeals • New Mexico District Courts • New Mexico Magistrate Court • New Mexico Municipal Courts • New Mexico Probate Courts • New Mexico Problem-Solving Courts • New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration Court • Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court
State resources:
Courts in New Mexico • New Mexico judicial elections • Judicial selection in New Mexico
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