VOTE411 Voter Guide

I have been a practicing attorney since 2015. Starting my career as a prosecutor with the District Attorney's Office, I gained extensive felony trial experience. I have worked as a staff attorney and general counsel for various city and state agencies. Most recently I was the Chief Clerk of the NM Court of Appeals. In March 2025, I was appointed to the Civil Division of the Metropolitan Court, I have presided over hundreds of cases and numerous trials adding to my qualifications as a judge.

The Metropolitan Court's Self-Help Division does a good job at providing resources to litigants including hand-outs and staff to answer questions while litigants make their way through the justice system. In my practice as a judge, I try to explain the proceedings as they are happening and what is coming next to help litigants better understand the process. In reaching a decision, I strive to make a clear and understandable ruling, to ensure transparency, minimize confusion, and avoid delay.

While accessible, more training with pro se litigants could be helpful. Specifically, more training on interacting with people with disabilities would be very helpful. In the Civil Division, a majority of our cases are landlord/tenant--we come across litigants with disabilities quite often.

My interest in the Metropolitan Court started because of my dedication to public service, my love of the law, and because I understand the impact that the issues at the Metropolitan Court have on peoples lives. While following the law, I am mindful of the various issues that litigants face and I use my experiences from being a trial attorney, a general counsel, and Chief Clerk to encourage meaningful arguments from litigants to reach a just outcome.

As a judge in the Civil Division at the Metropolitan Court, I do not participate in any speciality courts or pretrial diversion as the Civil Division does not have any of said programs. However, I am familiar with the various speciality courts and pretrial diversion programs at both the Metropolitan Court and the District Court and support their purposes.

I have represented individuals, insurance companies, the State of New Mexico, and small businesses for 45 years. My experience includes most areas of law that would be brought before me as a judge of the Metorpolitan Court, Civil Division.

The system as it is currently operating is working for the most part. I would like the opportunity evaluate the procedures more thoroughly. I the past, when I was employed by District Attorney Steve Schiff in 1983, I worked as an assistant DA in the Metro Court. While at that position, I was able to change the way certain jury trial cases were handled at a substantial savings of jury fees and expenses for the Metro Court. I am sure that my 45 years in private practice will enable me to do more.

I cannot answer this question at this time as I am in private practice now and not privy to the training and support Metro judges receive.

My pledge is to be fair, impartial, and independent as a Metropolitan Court judge. My decades of legal experience in serving New Mexicans will make for a knowlegeable pubilic servant for the people of New Mexico.

Speicalty courts may provide a great benefit to our communtiy for example a court with specific mental health training and support could be very helpful to a significant number of people who end up in MDC primarily due to mental health issues. As a attorney I have seen the fallout from incarcerating people with mental health issues and it's not good. When I worked for the District Attorney's office as a ADA, I was and continue to be a strong supporter of pretrial diversionary programs.