Courts

New Mexico Supreme Court Appointed Committee To Vote On Possible Changes In Pretrial Detention Procedures

by

NMSC News:

SANTA FE — A New Mexico Supreme Court appointed committee will hold an online meeting 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, to discuss and vote on possible changes in rules governing the procedures for the pretrial detention of felony defendants.

Visit https://www.youtube.com/NewMexicoCourts.

Members of the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Pretrial Release and Detention Procedures will meet through video conferencing. The meeting will be available to the public through a live broadcast on the YouTube channel of New Mexico Courts. 

The committee will submit its recommendations to the New Read More

Candidates Express Views At LWV Virtual Forum

by

By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com

The online Candidate Forum for various offices was hosted by the Los Alamos League of Women Voters Monday evening.

Barbara Calef chaired the forum, with assistance from Lynn Jones. This forum included the remaining offices where the candidates face primary opposition. All of the candidates are Democrats because candidates in the other parties do not face opposition.

Los Alamos is divided between two state senate districts. Two Democrats are running for the District 5 seat. Incumbent Richard C. Martinez is challenged by Read More

Democratic Party Of Los Alamos Meets Via Zoom May 11

by

DPLA News:

The Democratic Party of Los Alamos (DPLA) will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 11, via Zoom.

The meeting features statewide judicial candidates including Supreme Court Justice Shannon Bacon, Supreme Court Justice David K. Thomson, Court of Appeals Judge Zachary A. Ives and Court of Appeals Judge Shammara Henderson.

The judges will speak about the importance of the judiciary during the pandemic and take questions from local party members.

The meeting is open to the public.

Online meeting details have been sent to the party’s mailing list and available on the website

Read More

Los Alamos Police Blotter: March 4 – April 25, 2020

by

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.

 

NOLAN JOHNSON

March 4 at 3:20 p.m. / Police arrested Nolan Johnson, 35, of Sherman, Texas at Smith’s in White Rock on an outstanding Magistrate Court warrant and charged him with shoplifting.

 

 

 

 

JASON MOSS

March 11 at 12:56 p.m. / Police arrested Jason Moss, 59, of Los Alamos at 2500 Trinity Dr., and charged him with criminal sexual penetration of a child Read More

Live Streaming Of New Mexico Supreme Court Hearing In Case Regarding Possible Release Of Prison Inmates During COVID-19

by

NM Supreme Court News:

SANTA FE – Live streaming will be available Monday of a Supreme Court hearing in a case concerning the possible release of state prison inmates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oral arguments in the case will begin at 1:30 p.m., and New Mexico PBS, KNME-TV, will stream the hearing on its YouTube channel.

Attorneys in the case will appear by video using the Judiciary’s audio-video system. Justice Barbara Vigil also will participate by video. Chief Justice Judith Nakamura and Justices Michael Vigil, C. Shannon Bacon and David Thomson will be present in the courtroom of the Read More

Magistrate Court In Gallup To Remain Closed For One Week After Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19

by

COURT News:

GALLUP – The McKinley County Magistrate Court will be closed during the week of May 4 because a court employee has tested positive for COVID-19 and as a precautionary measure because of the severity of the coronavirus outbreak in the county.

Although the court building will be closed to the public, the Magistrate Court will remotely conduct some hearings during the week by telephone or videoconferencing.

The parties in cases will be notified of any scheduling changes.

Members of the public with questions can contact the Eleventh Judicial District Court in Gallup at 505.863.6816. Read More

State Achieves 96 Percent Application Processing Rate For 12-Months For Medicaid And SNAP Benefits

by

STATE News:

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) achieved a 96 percent monthly processing standard for Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications for more than 12 consecutive months, with not a single office falling below 94 percent for two consecutive months.

Thus, the Honorable Kenneth Gonzales in his opinion and order dated April 24, 2020, ruled that HSD had fully complied with the timely eligibility processing requirement and that “good cause” existed to eliminate that requirement from the consent decree.

“HSD employees are dedicated Read More

NM Supreme Court Postpones Bar Exam Due To Pandemic

by

NMSC News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Supreme Court has postponed the bar examination scheduled for July for law school graduates and attorneys seeking to practice in New Mexico.

The bar examination is now scheduled for September because of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The Court ordered the establishment of a working group by the executive director of the Board of Bar Examiners to develop recommendations for how to conduct the exam in small groups to comply with social distancing requirements if those remain in place in September. 

The working group also is to make a recommendation to Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court Clarifies Law On Duress Defense In Case Involving Woman Who Hit Ex-Boyfriend With Her Car

by

NMSC News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Supreme Court Thursday reinstated an Albuquerque woman’s convictions for hitting her ex-boyfriend with her car after fleeing his house where he had allegedly made unwanted sexual advances.

The Court’s unanimous ruling clarified New Mexico law on when criminal defendants can claim a defense of duress — that they were forced to act because of an immediate threat of serious harm. 

The justices overturned a decision of the Court of Appeals, which had ordered a new trial for Crystal Ortiz on charges of great bodily injury by vehicle and aggravated battery. The Court Read More

Op-Ed: COVID-19 And Domestic Violence Prevention

by

By MARY CARMACK-ALTWIES
Democratic Candidate
District Attorney, Dist. 1

Social or physical distancing is the best way to flatten the curve and curb the spread of COVID-19. Under the clear leadership of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico is doing better than most.

The flip side of physical distancing, however, is that it can turn into social isolation. This social isolation may trap victims of domestic violence with their abusers, who use that isolation as a form of control.

Children lack contact with trustworthy adults who can advocate on their behalf. And with fewer excuses to leave the Read More