VOTE411 Voter Guide

There are ten judges on the New Mexico Court of Appeals. It is the intermediate court between the district courts and the Supreme Court. Judges sit in panels of three. The Court reviews appeals in all cases, except criminal cases involving sentences of death or life imprisonment, appeals from the Public Regulation Commission and cases involving habeas corpus. Judges must be at least 35 years old, have practiced law for ten years, and have resided in New Mexico for the last three years. Judges are elected statewide for eight-year terms.Judicial vacancies are filled through appointment by the Governor from a list of nominees submitted by a judicial nominating committee. At the next regular election the judicial position is filled in a partisan election in which the appointed judge must participate and win the most votes to retain the seat. Judges serve for terms of a set number of years, after which they must win a retention election. Voters at a retention election may vote either “yes” or “no” for each individual judge for retention. To retain the office a judge standing for retention must receive 57% “yes” votes of all the votes cast on the question of retention.Tribunal de Apelaciones de New MexicoHay diez jueces en el Tribunal de Apelaciones de New Mexico. Este es el tribunal intermedio entre los tribunales de distrito y el Tribunal Supremo. Los jueces se sientan en paneles de tres. La Corte revisa los recursos de apelación en todos los casos, excepto los casos penales que involucran condenas de muerte o cadena perpetua, los recursos de la Comisión de Regulación Pública y los casos de hábeas corpus. Los jueces deben tener al menos 35 años de edad, haber ejercido la abogacía durante diez años y haber residido en New Mexico durante los últimos tres años. Los jueces se eligen en todo el estado por períodos de ocho años.En una elección de retención, los votantes pueden votar o por cada juez de manera individual para la retención. Para retener el cargo, el juez que se presente a la retención debe recibir en el 57% de todos los votos emitidos sobre la cuestión de la retención.JUDICIAL RETENTION: SHALL SHAMMARA HENDERSON BE RETAINED AS JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS POSITION TBD?