Judicial Vacancies

The Constitution of New Mexico mandates conduction of Judicial selection by the Judicial Nominating Commission, a board comprised of New Mexico Judges, attorneys and citizens, chaired by the Dean of the UNM School of Law.

The Commission solicits applications, interviews and recommends candidates to the Governor of New Mexico for each judicial vacancy on either of the state appellate courts, any of the 13 state district courts, and the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.

Magistrate court vacancies are not subject to this process. Information about current magistrate court vacancies, and application procedures, can be found on the Governor’s website.

Second Judicial District Family Court Announcement of Vacancy

A vacancy on the Second Judicial District Family Court will exist as of December 31, 2024, due to the retirement of the Honorable Judge Debra Ramirez. Inquiries regarding the details or assignment of this judicial vacancy should be directed to the Administrator of the Court. Applicants seeking information regarding election or retention if appointed should contact the Bureau of Elections in the Office of the Secretary of State.

Camille Carey, Chair of the Second Judicial District Court Judicial Nominating Commission, invites applications for this position from lawyers who meet the statutory qualifications in Article VI, Section 14 of the New Mexico Constitution. Applications may be obtained from the Judicial Selection website: https://lawschool.unm.edu/judsel/application.html, or emailed to you by contacting the Judicial Selection Office at akin@law.unm.edu. The deadline for applications has been set for Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Applications received after that time will not be considered.

The Second Judicial District Family Court Nominating Commission will convene at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday December 18, 2024 at the Second Judicial District Court, located at 400 Lomas Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

The Committee meeting is open to the public and members of the public who wish to be heard about any of the candidates will have an opportunity to be heard.

DATE CHANGE Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission

The Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission meeting, originally scheduled for Wednesday, December 18, 2024, has been rescheduled to Monday, December 16, 2024.

The Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission will convene at 9:30 am on Monday, December 16, 2024, to interview applicants at the Second Judicial District Court, located at 400 Lomas Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

The Commission meeting is open to the public, and members of the public who wish to be heard about any of the candidates will have an opportunity to be heard.

Beverly Akin
Judicial Selection Office
277-4700

RECONVENE Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission Candidate Announcement

The Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission reconvened at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, October 21, 2024, at the UNM School of Law located at 1117 Stanford Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM.

Article VI, Section 35 of the New Mexico Constitution provides that the Commission shall submit additional names to the Governor “if a majority of the commission finds that additional persons would be qualified and recommends those persons for appointment to the judicial office.” The majority of the Commission did not recommend any additional applicants for appointment to fill the vacancy due to the retirement of the Honorable Judge Gerard J. Lavelle, effective September 1, 2024.

The Commission reaffirms its recommendation from the previous names:
Bryan Thomas Fox
Crystal Emerald Lees

RECONVENE VENUE CHANGE Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission

The Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission will reconvene on Monday, October 21, 2024 at 1:30 pm at the School of Law located at 1117 Stanford NE, Albuquerque, NM, room 3402. The Commission meeting is open to the public, and members of the public who wish to be heard about any of the candidates will have an opportunity to be heard.

RECONENE Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission Announcement of Applicants

One (1) application has been received in the Judicial Selection Office as of 5:00 p.m., on Friday, October 11, 2024, for the vacancy on the Second Judicial District Family Court due to the retirement of the Honorable Judge Gerard J. Lavelle, effective September 1, 2024.

The Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission will reconvene at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, October 21, 2024 to interview the applicant at the NM Court of Appeals, Albuquerque Satellite Office located at 2211 Tucker Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM. The Commission meeting is open to the public and members of the public who wish to be heard about any of the applicants will have an opportunity to be heard.

The names of the applicants in alphabetical order:
Twila A. Hoon (Witz)

RECONVENE Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission Announcement of Consideration of Additional Applications

The Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission met Tuesday, September 17, 2024, and submitted two names to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for consideration to fill the vacancy in the Second Judicial District Family Court due to the retirement of the Honorable Gerard J. Lavelle, effective September 1, 2024.

Pursuant to her authority to do so, Governor Lujan Grisham has requested that the commission submit additional names to her for consideration. Accordingly, Dean Camille Carey of the UNM School of Law, designated by the New Mexico Constitution to Chair the Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission, is soliciting additional applications for this position from lawyers who meet the constitutional qualifications.

Applications, as well as information related to qualifications for the position, may be obtained from the Judicial Selection website. The deadline for applications has been set for Friday, October 11, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Applications received after that date will not be considered. Applications received by the initial deadline of Thursday, August 29, 2024, for the position remain viable and open for consideration by the commission.

Applicants who appeared before the commission on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, including the two applicants whose names were submitted to Governor Lujan Grisham, do not need to reapply or reappear before the commission.

Applicants seeking information regarding election or retention if appointed should contact the Bureau of Elections in the Office of the Secretary of State. The date and time of the reconvening of the Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission will be Monday, October 21, 2024, beginning at 1:30 pm., at the NM Court of Appeals, located at 2211 Tucker Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106. The Commission meeting is open to the public, and members of the public who wish to be heard about any of the candidates will have an opportunity to be heard.

Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission Candidate Announcement

The Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission convene at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at the New Mexico State Bar located at 5121 Masthead St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, and completed its evaluation of the eight applicants to fill the vacancy on the Second Judicial District Family Court due to the retirement of the Honorable Judge Gerard J. Lavelle, effective September 1, 2024.

The Nominating Commission recommends the following applicants to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham:

Bryan Thomas Fox
Crystal Emerald Lees

NEW TIME
Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission

Friday, September 13, 2024

The Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission will convene at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, to interview applicants at the New Mexico State Bar located at 5121 Masthead St NE, Albuquerque, NM. The Commission meeting is open to the public and members of the public who wish to be heard about any of the candidates will have an opportunity to be heard.

Second Judicial District Family Court Judicial Nominating Commission Announcement of Applicants

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Eight (8) applications have been received in the Judicial Selection Office as of 5:00 p.m., on Thursday, August 29, 2024, for the vacancy on the Second Judicial District Family Court due to the retirement of the Honorable Judge Gerard J. Lavelle, effective September 1, 2024.

The Second Judicial District Court Judicial Nominating Commission will convene at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, to interview applicants at the New Mexico State Bar located at 5121 Masthead St NE, Albuquerque, NM. The Commission meeting is open to the public and members of the public who wish to be heard about any of the candidates will have an opportunity to be heard.

The names of the applicants in alphabetical order:

Bryan Thomas Fox

Veronica Lee Hill

Donny Deron Johnson Jr.

Crystal Emerald Lees

Taylor Edwin Lieuwen

Ramon Julian Maestas

Deian McBryde

Edna Frances Sprague

REVISED Second Judicial District Court Family Court Announcement of Vacancy

Thursday, August 15, 2024

A vacancy on the Second Judicial District Court will exist as of September 1, 2024, due to the retirement of the Honorable Gerard J. Lavelle. This judicial vacancy will be for Family Court. Inquiries regarding the details or assignment of this judicial vacancy should be directed to the Administrator of the Court. Applicants seeking information regarding election or retention if appointed should contact the Bureau of Elections in the Office of the Secretary of State.

Camille Carey, Chair of the Second Judicial District Court Judicial Nominating Commission, invites applications for this position from lawyers who meet the statutory qualifications in Article VI, Section 14 of the New Mexico Constitution. Applications may be obtained from the Judicial Selection website: https://lawschool.unm.edu/judsel/application.html, or emailed to you by contacting the Judicial Selection Office at akin@law.unm.edu. The deadline for applications has been set for Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Applications received after that time will not be considered.

The Second Judicial District Court Nominating Commission will meet beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, to interview applicants for the position at the New Mexico State Bar located at 5121 Masthead Street N.E., in their conference rooms.

The Committee meeting is open to the public and members of the public who wish to be heard about any of the candidates will have an opportunity to be heard.