Courts

New Mexico Senate Bill 2 Allowing Expungement Of Cannabis-Related Criminal Records Heads To Governor

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The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo

By Robert Nott
SFNM

A bill that would create a path for expunging criminal records tied to cases involving cannabis-related charges is on its way to the governor today after both chambers of the Legislature approved the

The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 23-13, while the House of Representatives approved it 41-28. 

While Senate Bill 2 does not eliminate conviction records, it would set up a system for reviewing and expunging criminal records from websites and other sources that are accessible to the public. It also requires a review and possible dismissal Read More

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Signs Measure Eliminating Fees For Juvenile Crimes

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Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law today a measure that removes from criminal statute certain fines and fees relating to offenses committed by youth, aligning with the juvenile justice reform efforts of the Children, Youth and Families Department.
The measure eliminates fines for the possession of cannabis by a minor and modifies the requirement for community service to a maximum of 48 hours. It also removes a nonrefundable “application fee” for public defender representation for any child subject to the provisions
Read More

State Files Lawsuit To Halt Holtec Nuclear Storage Facility

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

AG News:

SANTA FE — Attorney General Hector Balderas announced Monday that the State of New Mexico has filed suit against the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) and the United States seeking to stop them from indefinitely storing the nation’s supply of high level radioactive waste in southeastern New Mexico.

The complaint alleges that the NRC is acting beyond the scope of its authority in licensing the proposed interim storage facility to be located in Lea and Eddy County and that the interim storage facility will jeopardize Read More

Los Alamos Police Blotter March 4 To March 20, 2021

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LAPD News:

The following information is provided by the Los Alamos Police Department.

Neither arrests nor charges indicate a conviction, and neither means that a person is guilty of the charges filed against them.

 

ARTURO HOUSTON

March 4 at 3:06 p.m. / Police arrested Arturo Houston, 38, of Española in Española on an outstanding Magistrate Court warrant.

 

 

 

JESSICA LETICIA MENDEZ

March 6 at 12:47 a.m. / Police arrested Jessica Leticia Mendez, 25, of Ohkay Owingeh on Trinity Dr., on an outstanding warrant from another jurisdiction and charged her with shoplifting and Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court Rules Dangerous Mentally Incompetent Defendants May Be Committed Longer

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NMSC News:

SANTA FE — Defendants found to be mentally incompetent to stand trial and dangerous may be committed for treatment for additional time because of aggravating circumstances, the New Mexico Supreme Court (NMSC) ruled Wednesday.

In a unanimous ruling, the Court affirmed a district judge’s order in 2017 to extend the criminal commitment of Ricky Quintana by five years, bringing it to a maximum for 20 years for killing a man in Las Vegas in 2003. Quintana has been held in the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute since his arrest for fatally stabbing Michael Grube at a house Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court Upholds Damages Cap In State’s Medical Malpractice Law

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New Mexico Supreme Court ruled today to upholds the damages cap in the medical malpractice law. Post file photo

SUPREME COURT News:

SANTA FE – New Mexico’s cap on certain types of damages for injuries from medical malpractice does not violate the constitutional right to a jury trial, the state Supreme Court ruled today.

The Medical Malpractice Act (MMA) limits damages at $600,000, excluding punitive damages and compensation for medical and rehabilitative care. The cap applies to damages for such things as pain and suffering and a loss of future earnings.

In a unanimous decision, the state’s Read More

Judge Orders Michael Novak Jailed Until Trial

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Michael A. Novak

Staff Report:

Police arrested Michael A. Novak, 60, of Los Alamos, Feb. 24 after State District Judge Jason Lidyard ruled there was sufficient evidence to charge him with multiple counts of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old child.

The child’s mother left the child in Novak’s care for two days in January during which time the alleged crimes took place.

Because of the severity of the charges and Novak’s prior history, the judge ordered Novak held in jail without bond. Novak was accused in two separate incidents of sexual assault in the 1990s.

Novak was originally charged with 27 Read More

Los Alamos Police Blotter: Feb. 8 To March 6, 2021

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LAPD News:

The following information is provided by the Los Alamos Police Department.

Neither arrests nor charges indicate a conviction, and neither means that a person is guilty of the charges filed against them.

 

KALI JESSICA ROYBAL

Feb. 8 at 11:13 p.m./ Police arrested Kali Jessica Roybal, 28, of Los Alamos at 2500 Trinity Dr., and charged her with possession of drug paraphernalia.

 

 

 

 

JOEY MARTINEZ

Feb. 8 at 11:53 p.m. / Police arrested Joey Martinez, 28, of Los Alamos at 2500 Trinity Dr., and charged him with two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

  Read More

New Mexico DA Raises Office Minimum Wage To $15/Hr

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District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies

From the Office of the District Attorney:

SANTA FE — The First Judicial District Attorney’s office has raised its minimum wage to $15 per hour, effective March 1, 2021.

“Upon entering the office, I was immediately concerned that some employees of the office of the District Attorney were earning far less than a living wage,” District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said. “All staff members in our office work incredibly hard and deserve to be paid at least $15 per hour.”

When Carmack-Altiwies learned of the pay discrepancy, her office quickly began working Read More