Kea Riggs

District of New Mexico
	Tenth Circuit
Judgeships
	Posts: 7
	Judges: 7
	Vacancies: 0
Judges
	Chief: William P. Johnson
	Active judges: James O. Browning, Matthew Garcia, Kenneth John Gonzales, David Herrera Urias, William P. Johnson, Kea Riggs, Margaret Strickland; Senior judges:; Christina Armijo, Robert Brack, Curtis Hansen, Judith Herrera, Martha Vazquez

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
	Name: Kea Riggs
	Court: United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
Progress
	Confirmed 220 days after nomination.
	Nominated: May 13, 2019
	ABA Rating: Substantial majority well qualified / Minority qualified
	Questionnaire: Questionnaire
	Hearing: June 26, 2019
	QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: July 18, 2019
	Confirmed: December 19, 2019
	Vote: 94-0

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Kea Riggs is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. She was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on May 13, 2019, and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 94-0.^[1]^[2] She received commission on December 31, 2019.^[3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the District of New Mexico is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Riggs was a judge of the Fifth Judicial District Court in New Mexico from 2014 to 2019. She was appointed by Governor Susana Martinez (R).^[4]

Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections

United States District Court for the District of New Mexico (2019-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 13, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Riggs to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.^[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed Riggs on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 94-0.^[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Riggs on December 19, 2019, on a vote of 94-0.^[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Riggs confirmation vote (December 19, 2019)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	41	0	4
Republican	52	0	1
Independent	1	0	1
Total	94	0	6

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

Riggs was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.

On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.^[5]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.^[6]

It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.^[7] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Riggs' confirmation on June 26, 2019.^[8] The committee voted to advance Riggs' nomination to the full Senate on July 18, 2019.^[9]

Nomination

Riggs was nominated to succeed Judge Christina Armijo, who assumed senior status on February 7, 2018.

The American Bar Association rated Riggs well qualified by a substantial majority and qualified by a minority for the position.^[10] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

New Mexico Fifth Judicial District Court (2014-2019)

Riggs became a judge of the Fifth Judicial District Court in New Mexico in 2014. She was appointed by Governor Susana Martinez (R) on August 8.^[4] Riggs was elected to the court in 2014.^[11]

2014 election

See also: New Mexico judicial elections, 2014

Riggs ran for re-election to the 5th District Court.
General: She was unopposed in the general election on November 4, 2014.^[11]

United States District Court for the District of New Mexico (2001-2014)

Before joining the 5th District Court in New Mexico in 2014, Riggs was a magistrate judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.^[1]

Early life and education

Riggs was born in Midwest City, Oklahoma, in 1965. She earned her B.B.A. in accounting from the University of Oklahoma in 1987 and received her J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1990.^[12]^[4]^[1]

Career

2019-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico
2014-2019: Judge, New Mexico Fifth Judicial District Court
2001-2014: Magistrate judge, United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
2012-2014, 2008-2009, 2001-2002: Adjunct professor, Eastern New Mexico University
2006-2012: Special master and mediator, Self-employed
2011, 2006-2009: Adjunct professor, New Mexico Highlands University
1999-2004: Associate attorney, Sanders, Bruin, Coll & Worley, P.A.
1994-1999: Senior trial prosecutor, New Mexico Fifth Judicial District Attorney
1993-1994: Children's court attorney, New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department
1991-1993: Assistant district attorney, New Mexico Third Judicial District Attorney
1990-1991: Attorney, Cutter & Riggs, P.C.
1989-1990: Law clerk, Oklahoma Corporation Commission^[12]

Associations

Chaves County Bar Association
Dona Ana County Bar Association
Federal Magistrate Judges Association
New Mexico Criminal Rules Committee
New Mexico District Judge and Magistrate Judge Association
New Mexico Sentencing Commission Sex Offender Management Board
American Inns of Court, George L. Reese Chapter
State Bar of New Mexico^[12]

About the court

The United States District Court for the District of New Mexico is one of 94 United States district courts. The district operates out of courtrooms in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, and Roswell, N.M. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit based in downtown Denver, Colorado at the Byron White Federal Courthouse.

The District of New Mexico has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The jurisdiction of the District of New Mexico consists of all the counties in the state of New Mexico.

Court is held in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Roswell, Santa Fe, and Silver City.

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.

As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.

After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.

If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.

The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.

If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.

External links

Suggest a link

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	United States District Court for the District of New Mexico 2019-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	New Mexico 5th Judicial District Court 2014-2019	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	United States District Court for the District of New Mexico 2001-2014	Succeeded by -