New Mexico Court of Appeals
The New Mexico Court of Appeals (in case citation, N.M. Ct. App.) is the intermediate-level appellate court for the state of New Mexico.

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History
The court of appeals was created by a constitutional amendment submitted to the electorate in a special election held on September 28, 1965.[1] The original enabling legislation established a court consisting of four judges.[2] The court was expanded to five judges in 1972[3] and seven judges in 1978. In 1991, it was again expanded to ten judges, where it remains today.[4]
Jurisdiction
The court has general appellate jurisdiction over the state district courts and certain state agencies. The only exceptions to this grant of jurisdiction are:
- criminal cases in which the death penalty or life imprisonment is sought,[5]
- Appeals from the Public Regulation Commission, and
- Cases involving the writ of habeas corpus.
These cases are directly reviewed by the New Mexico Supreme Court.
Composition
Ten judges sit on the court, each with their own paralegal and law clerk. However, the Court is moving towards a two-law clerk system.
Judge | Born | Joined | Term ends[lower-alpha 1] | Party affiliation | Appointed by | Law school |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jennifer Attrep, Chief Judge | 1977/1978 (age 44–45)[6] | January 19, 2018 | 2024 | Democratic | Susana Martinez (R) | Virginia |
J. Miles Hanisee | 1967/1968 (age 54–55)[6] | December 2012 | 2026 | Republican | Susana Martinez (R) | Pepperdine |
Kristina Bogardus | 1954/1955 (age 67–68)[6] | January 1, 2019 | 2026 | Democratic | —[lower-alpha 2] | New Mexico |
Megan Duffy | 1978/1979 (age 43–44)[6] | January 1, 2019 | 2024 | Democratic | —[lower-alpha 2] | New Mexico |
Jacqueline Medina | 1963/1964 (age 58–59)[6] | January 1, 2019 | 2028 | Democratic | —[lower-alpha 2] | New Mexico |
Zachary Ives | – | January 31, 2019 | 2028 | Democratic | Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) | New Mexico |
Shammara Henderson | 1982/1983 (age 40–41)[7] | March 1, 2020 | 2024 | Democratic | Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) | New Mexico |
Jane Yohalem | 1949/1950 (age 72–73)[8] | July 29, 2020 | 2030 | Democratic | Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) | New Mexico |
Gerald Baca | 1961/1962 (age 61–62)[9] | March 19, 2021 | 2030 | Democratic | Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) | New Mexico |
Katherine Anne Wray | – | September 23, 2021 | 2030 | Democratic | Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) | New Mexico |
- Terms end on December 31.
- Took office after being elected in a partisan election.
References
- Donnelly & Minzner, History of the Court of Appeals, 22 N.M. L. Rev. 595, 597 (1992), available at http://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nmlr/vol22/iss3/2/
- Donnelly & Minzner, 24 N.M. L. Rev. at 605; see also 1972 N.M. Laws ch. 32, sections 1-2.
- Donnelly & Minzner, 22 N.M. L. Rev. at 607; see also 1978 N.M. Laws ch. 25.
- see Donnelly & Minzner, 22 N.M. L. Rev. at 613; see also 1990 N.M. Laws ch. 35.
- See N.M. Const. Art. XI, section 2 ("Appeals from a judgment of the district court imposing a sentence of death or life imprisonment shall be taken directly to the supreme court.").
- "Court of Appeals candidate biographies". Santa Fe New Mexican. October 11, 2018.
- Leggett, Shellye (February 17, 2020). "First African American appointed to New Mexico Court of Appeals". KOAT 7 Action News.
- Haywood, Phaedra (June 27, 2020). "New appeals judge has had large influence on how state's laws are applied". Santa Fe New Mexican.
- "New Mexico governor appoints judge to court of appeals". KOB 4. March 21, 2021.