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Supreme Court

The Supreme Court consists of five Justices and is located in Santa Fe. This is the court of last resort and has superintending control over all inferior courts and attorneys licensed in the state.

This court has mandatory appellate jurisdiction over: criminal matters in which the sentence imposed is life in prison or the death penalty, appeals from the Public Regulation Commission, appeals from the granting of writs of habeas corpus, appeals in actions challenging nominations, and removal of public officials.

Discretionary jurisdiction: denials of petitions for writ of habeas corpus, petitions for writ of certiorari to the Court of Appeals, other extraordinary writ matters, and certified questions either from the Court of Appeals or federal courts.

Court of Appeals

Ten judges preside, sitting in panels of three. The Court of Appeals has offices in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

This court has mandatory jurisdiction in: civil, non-capital criminal, juvenile cases; Discretionary jurisdiction in interlocutory decision cases and administrative agency appeals.

District Court

One-hundred-two judges preside. There are thirteen different districts. These are District Courts of general jurisdiction which hold jury trials.

This court will hear these types of cases: Tort, contract, real property rights, and estate. Exclusive domestic relations, mental health, appeals for administrative agencies and lower courts, miscellaneous civil jurisdiction; Misdemeanor. Exclusive criminal appeals jurisdiction; Exclusive juvenile jurisdiction.

Magistrate Court

Sixty-seven judges preside. There are 46 magistrate courts. These are courts of limited jurisdiction. Jury trials.

This court will hear these types of cases: Tort, contract, landlord/tenant rights ($0-10,000); Felony preliminary hearings; Misdemeanor, DWI/DUI and other traffic violations.

Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court

Nineteen judges preside. Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court is of limited jurisdiction. Jury trials.

This court will hear these types of cases: Tort, contract, landlord/tenant rights ($0-10,000); Felony first appearances; Misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, Domestic Violence and other traffic violations.

Municipal Court

Eighty-three judges preside. There are eighty-one municipal courts. These are courts of limited jurisdiction. No jury trials.

This court will hear these types of cases: Petty misdemeanors, DWI/DUI, traffic violations and other municipal ordinance violations.

Probate Court

Thirty-three judges. There are thirty-three counties. These are courts of limited jurisdiction. No jury trials.

This court will hear these types of cases: Informal probate; Estate (Hears uncontested cases. Contested cases go to district court).

Court of Appeals / About the Court / Staff Biographies

Staff Biographies

Cyndi was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Texas State University and her Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. She graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 1994. Following graduation, Cyndi moved to New Mexico where she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Benny Flores (ret.) of the New Mexico Court of Appeals. After her clerkship, she was an associate attorney with Miller Stratvert P.A., practicing in the areas of personal injury defense and civil litigation. Cyndi returned to the Court of Appeals in 1997 when she joined the Division of Appellate Court Attorneys. Cyndi was a Supervising Appellate Attorney for three years before becoming the interim Chief Appellate Attorney for the Division in February 2023.

Michelle is originally from Oklahoma, but moved to New Mexico at a young age. She attended the University of New Mexico and received an undergraduate degree in Political Science, graduating summa cum laude. Michelle then went on to the University of New Mexico School of Law where she was Editor in Chief of the New Mexico Law Review. She received her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, in 2005. Following graduation, Michelle began her legal career as an associate attorney with Hinkle, Hensley, Shanor & Martin, L.L.P, practicing in the areas of employment and labor law, civil rights, general tort liability, and class actions. She joined the Division of Appellate Court Attorneys in 2007. Michelle is currently a Supervisor for the Division. She has also held every other position DACA offers: Assistant, Associate, and Senior Staff Attorney, as well as Interim Chief Appellate Attorney.

Eric received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 2003 and 2006. Following graduation, Eric clerked for the Honorable Ronald R. Holliger at the Missouri Court of Appeals. After his clerkship, he maintained a commercial litigation practice in Kansas City with the firm of Walters Bender Strohbehn & Vaughan. Eric moved to Albuquerque in 2013, and joined DACA in March of that year.

Lucy was raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder and graduated summa cum laude from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Inspired by her public service work for a nonprofit law firm in Cleveland enforcing the Fair Housing Act, Lucy joined DACA in 2002.

Jenny grew up in Colorado and received her undergraduate degree in Anthropolgy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1996. She received her law degree, magna cum laude, from Notre Dame Law School in 2002, where she served on the Notre Dame Law Review and received the National Association of Women Lawyers Outstanding Law Graduate award. After graduation, Jenny worked in the Appellate Division of the New Mexico Public Defender Department for three years. She joined DACA in 2006.

Jim was born and raised in Minnesota. He graduated in English and environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He then worked as an intern for Senator William Proxmire in Washington, D.C. before heading to Alaska. In May 1990, Jim graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School. He joined DACA in September 1990.

Amanda was born and raised in New Mexico and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico in 2014. She received her law degree, summa cum laude, from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2018. After graduation, Amanda clerked for the Honorable Jennifer L. Attrep of the New Mexico Court of Appeals before joining DACA in 2019.

Lindsey was born and raised in New Mexico. She received her undergraduate degree in European Studies in 2010 and her master’s degree in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies in 2014, both from the University of New Mexico. After a short hiatus, Lindsey went to law school and graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2019. Following graduation, Lindsey clerked for the Honorable Megan P. Duffy before joining DACA in February 2022.

Geri is a native Santa Fean. She has an Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies. She joined DACA in January 2003.

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The judicial branch of New Mexico consists of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, 34 districts courts and 46 magistrate courts in 13 judicial districts, the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, 33 county probate courts, and 78 municipal courts serving the people of the state.

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