HOUSE BILL 119

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

William "Bill" R. Rehm

ENDORSED BY THE COURTS, CORRECTIONS AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO COURTS; MODIFYING THE QUALIFICATIONS OF METROPOLITAN COURT JUDGES; REQUIRING FIVE YEARS OF ACTUAL PRACTICE OF LAW AND THREE YEARS OF RESIDENCE IN THIS STATE PRIOR TO ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 34-8A-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1979, Chapter 346, Section 4, as amended) is amended to read:

     "34-8A-4. METROPOLITAN COURT--JUDGES.--

          A. Metropolitan judges shall be elected as provided in Section 34-8A-4.1 NMSA 1978. The governor shall fill vacancies in the office of metropolitan judge, by appointment of persons who possess the personal qualifications established by law, until the next general election.

          B. No person shall be eligible for election or appointment to the office of metropolitan judge unless [he] the person is a member of the New Mexico bar [of and], has [practiced in this state] been in the actual practice of law for [a period of three years] at least five years preceding assumption of office and has resided in this state for at least three years immediately preceding assumption of office. There shall be a chief metropolitan judge of a metropolitan court. The chief metropolitan judge shall designate each metropolitan judge position as a separate and consecutively numbered division, and any additional metropolitan judge authorized within a metropolitan court shall be designated as metropolitan judge of the next consecutive division. A district court judge may designate a metropolitan judge as a special master."

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