Court of Appeals Judge Position 1
The great majority of cases heard by judges of the Court of Appeals are appeals from lower courts, since the New Mexico Court of Appeals sits between the state district courts and the New Mexico Supreme Court. Term: Eight years; no term limit.
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KRIS HOUGHTON
(Dem)
1. What qualifies you for this office?
2. What are the major challenges for an Appeals Court Judge?
3. What would be the most effective methods to improve Appeals Court procedures and efficiency?
4. What other information would you like voters to know about you?
I believe wholeheartedly that due process is for everyone and that no one is above or beneath the law. I vow to uphold the US and NM Constitutions.
I have served in this office since Gov. Lujan Grisham appointed me last year, after I was recommended to her by a bi-partisan nominating commission. I have since authored opinions for the Court in both criminal and civil law.
I served most of my 18-year legal career in the Dep't of Justice at the US Attorney's Office in ABQ. As an Assistant US Attorney, I handled criminal, civil, and appellate cases. I served overseas as DOJ’s Judicial Attaché in Colombia, and then returned to ABQ as Chief of the Criminal Division. Previously, I clerked for both the NM Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.
The breadth of law is staggering; an appellate judge must accurately decide cases in every area of law (criminal, negligence, family, probate, property, to name but a few). But it is impossible to know all the law. A great judge humbly seeks input from other chambers, staff, and clerks to ensure each case reaches the right decision for the right reasons.
The work demands rigorous legal analysis and clear writing. I follow the example of my mentors by carefully parsing applicable rules, statutes, and case law. I then work tirelessly with fellow judges, clerks, and staff to ensure we draft an opinion that is understandable by the public.
Finally, with ~800 cases filed in the court each year, the work load demands discipline and diligence.
With just 10 judges on the Court of Appeals serving the entire state, there is a great need for efficiency. Toward that goal, the Court has developed a number of strategies over the years. For example, the Court manages a team of experienced staff attorneys who use a calendaring system to filter cases by degree of difficulty. The Court recently piloted a successful mediation program that facilitates settlement for appropriate cases. Those strategies have reduced the number of cases awaiting a decision. But the Court should (and does) strive toward continual improvement. To that end, the judges meet monthly to discuss and employ new methods. I look forward to building more efficiency in the way we write and participate on our opinions.
I am married to María Montoya who is an OB/Gyn and attending physician at the University of New Mexico Hospital. My wife and I are raising three children in and stay busy with their track, football, soccer, basketball, and piano activities.
I earned my law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law, where I received the Dean’s Award for Significant Contribution to the Law School Community and was on the Dean’s List and Honor Roll. I also previously served as a Captain in the US Air Forces Reserves. I was commissioned as an officer in the US Air Force JAG Corps and was assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base and the 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base.
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