Courts

Magistrate Judge Candidates Provide Info For Kiwanis

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Magistrate Judge Pat A. Casados, a Democrat seeking re-election, was the only speaker at the final of the Los Alamos Kiwanis Club’s Primary Election forums. Courtesy/Kiwanis

By CHARMIAN SCHALLER
Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos

Kiwanis invited three candidates to come to the club’s last Primary Election Forum, but Stephanie Garcia Richard, a White Rock Democrat running for commissioner of public lands, and James E. Rickman, a Libertarian running for magistrate judge, were unable to participate. Rickman, however, sent a written statement to be read at the meeting.

There is no Republican candidate Read More

Nichole Borrego Charged With Theft Of Four Handguns, Camera From Los Alamos Residence

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By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

Nichole Lynn Borrego, 28, of Chimayo has been arrested and charged with the theft of four handguns and a camera from a Los Alamos home she was hired to clean.

The complaint filed against Borrego alleges she stole a Ruger 45, a 38 Special Colt revolver, a .38 Smith & Wesson BNP model revolver and a Colt .380 as well as a camera valued at $800 between April 13 and May 3.

According to documents filed by Los Alamos Police Det. Ryan Wolking in Los Alamos Magistrate Court, he asked Borrego to go to the police department May 22 for an interview during Read More

FBI: Deming Man Arrested On Federal Charges

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FBI News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE ― Christopher H. Meza, 35, of Deming, made his initial appearance Wednesday in Federal Court in Las Cruces, on a criminal complaint charging him with distributing and possessing child pornography.  
 
Meza remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, which have yet to be scheduled.
 
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation leading to Meza’s arrest was initiated in March 2018, after an FBI agent who was working in an undercover capacity in Oklahoma, signed into a publicly available peer-to-peer
Read More

Motion For Summary Judgment Continued In Los Alamos County Sheriff’s IPRA Suit Against AG

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By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post
maire@ladailypost.com

First Judicial District Judge David K. Thomson has continued a motion for summary judgment until needed discovery is complete in a suit filed by Los Alamos County Sheriff Marco Lucero against Attorney General Hector Balderas and his records custodian Patricia Salazar.

Lucero’s attorney Blair Dunn had filed a request for a presentment hearing in the case following the May 15 hearing because, as correspondence between Dunn and Balderas’s staff included in the Court record indicates, there was some disagreement as to what Judge Read More

District Judge Consolidates Recall Petition Cases Against Three Los Alamos County Councilors

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By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post
maire@ladailypost.com

First Judicial District Judge David K. Thomson has ordered three cases filed by Los Alamos resident Greg White against Los Alamos County Councilors Susan O’Leary, Antonio Maggiore and Rick Reiss to be consolidated.

In an order filed May 23, Judge Thomson also asked for opinions from the New Mexico Secretary of State, Los Alamos County Clerk and Attorney General Hector Balderas as to whether a state Constitutional provision barring a recall election after May 1 in a year in which a person holding elected office has their term expire

Read More

NMFOG Applauds Decision On UNM Foundation

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NMFOG News:

The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (NMFOG) applauds the decision Thursday by Judge Nancy Franchini that records held by the University of New Mexico Foundation are subject to the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) and must be released to the public.

NMFOG, along with the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, had submitted a brief to the court urging it to find that the Foundation’s records were public.

The records at issue relate to payments made to the UNM Foundation by WisePies for naming rights for the Pit. UNM and its foundation had argued that the Foundation’s Read More

Letter To The Editor: Judge Shaffer Is Hard Working And Professional

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By THOMAS E. CLIFFORD, PHD
UNM Regent and former Secretary of Finance and Administration
Santa Fe
 
I worked closely with District Court Judge Greg Shaffer when he was General Counsel and I was Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).
 
DFA’s workload includes a wide variety of legal challenges and an extensive amount of interaction with other agencies and local and tribal governments. The work is highly challenging, due to the volume, the technical difficulty and the interpersonal skills required to enable collaboration and cooperation
Read More

Court Hearings Scheduled For County Councilor Recall Petitions Filed By Greg White

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Court News:

First Judicial District Judge David K. Thomson has slated hearings Tuesday on petitions for recall filed by Los Alamos resident Greg White against Los Alamos County Councilors Susan O’Leary, Antonio Maggiore and Rick Reiss.

 

The petitions each contain more than 30 counts alleging wrongdoing by the three councilors mostly in connection with the ongoing issue of the duties of the Los Alamos County Sheriff. White has indicated that he also will be filing a petition for recall against Council Vice Chair Christine Chandler.

 

A prior petition filed by White seeking the recall Read More

Patrick And Lisa Brenner File Federal Lawsuit Against Los Alamos County Council And Chief Of Police

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By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post
maire@ladailypost.com
 

Former Los Alamos resident Patrick Brenner and his mother, Los Alamos resident Lisa Brenner, have filed a federal lawsuit alleging retaliation and harassment including malicious prosecution and defamation against the Los Alamos County Council, Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgambellone and two unnamed police officers.

The suit also names Councilor Susan O’Leary and former Councilor James Chrobocinski in both their official and individual capacities.

The lengthy complaint filed Tuesday by attorneys Blair Dunn and Read More

AG Balderas Files Counterclaims And Answers in Texas v. New Mexico Water Lawsuit

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

From the Office of the New Mexico Attorney General:

  • Balderas Now Executing His New Strategy After Last King Action Has Been Heard by the Supreme Court

LAS CRUCES – This morning, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced he’s filed counterclaims and answers to Texas and the U.S. government in the Texas v. New Mexico water lawsuit making it clear that New Mexico’s traditionally underrepresented populations have been taken advantage of for decades by the parties.

Balderas, raised in rural New Mexico, understands that this case is about protecting working Read More