Courts

Attorney Philip J. Dabney Joins Reid Griffith’s Law Firm

by

Attorneys Reid Griffith, left, and Philip J. Dabney stop by the Los Alamos Daily Post in downtown Los Alamos recently to discuss their joining forces to help clients. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com 
 
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
 
Attorney Philip J. Dabney practiced law in Las Vegas, Nev., for 30 years but after marrying a Los Alamos woman he moved to town and last month joined the local law firm of P. Reid Griffith, PA.
 
“Since marrying Liz, I’ve continued to wind down my practice in Nevada and am excited to be working with Reid who has practiced in Los Alamos
Read More

Los Alamos Town Hall Targets Community Safety

by

First Judicial District Attorney Jennifer Padgett

COMMUNITY News:

First Judicial District Attorney Jennifer Padgett is hosting a Town Hall Meeting facilitated by Bill Wadt that targets community safety issues.

“Every community in the First Judicial District has unique public safety considerations. Since becoming your District Attorney I have received calls from the Los Alamos community voicing their growing concern about public safety,” Padgett said. “The goal for these meetings is to have an open and honest dialogue between residents, law enforcement officials, and community advocates Read More

Report: 10 Percent Of New Mexico Kids Have Had Incarcerated Parent

by

NMVFC News:

Stress of incarceration contributes to child poverty, homelessness, hunger

ALBUQUERQUE—More than 5 million children in the United States have had a parent incarcerated at some point in their lives, including 52,000 kids in New Mexico—10 percent of New Mexico’s child population—according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

New Mexico’s percentage of children with incarcerated parents is not only higher than the national average of 7 percent, but only two states—Indiana (11 percent) and Kentucky (13 percent)—have higher rates than New Mexico. These data are Read More

State Fines Local GOP For Failure To File Reports

by

RPLA Chair Bill McKerley

 

By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post

The Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State has levied penalties of more than $5,000 against the Republican Party of Los Alamos County for failure to file financial reports.

Kenneth Ortiz of the Secretary of State’s Office told the Los Alamos Daily Post that the local party has not filed the required financial reports for the reporting period due last October and those due earlier this month. He explained that New Mexico Campaign Finance Law states that a party failing to file will be ordered to pay the Secretary

Read More

Governor Announces Program To Monitor Outcome Of DWI Cases In New Mexico’s Courts

by

Gov. Susana Martinez
 
STATE News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE — Gov. Susana Martinez has announced that an RFP has been awarded to Mothers Against Drunk Driving for an initiative that will place monitors in certain courtrooms across the state to watch the DWI adjudication process and provide information to the public about how those cases are being handled. 
 
The monitors will attend DWI hearings in person and compile reports on how judges and others involved in the legal process are dealing with drunk drivers. The program is part of the Governor’s executive initiatives
Read More

DA Dismisses Charges Against Jordan Redmond

by

Former LAPD Sgt. Jordan Redmond
 
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
 
The District Attorney’s Office has dismissed the charges Tuesday against former Los Alamos Police Sgt. Jordan Redmond. The charges were dismissed with prejudice, which means the case cannot be re-filed.

Redmond, 33, was arrested Oct. 8 and charged under the Governmental Conduct Act, section 10.16.4.1, Honoraria prohibited, for accepting money for conducting a public duty as a police officer. The GCA forbids public officers from accepting payment or gifts of more than $100 in value for performing

Read More

Espanola Tax Preparer Deborah Quintana Indicted For Tax Fraud And Tax Evasion

by

TAX FRAUD News:

SANTA FE – A tax preparer from Espanola has been indicted for filing false tax returns and failing to pay taxes.

Deborah Quintana, 58, was charged with 28 counts of Tax Fraud and eight counts of Attempting to Evade or Defeat Tax, all felonies. These charges carry a maximum sentence of 55.5 years in prison and a $180,000 fine.

Quintana was indicted by a Santa Fe Grand Jury in the First Judicial District of New Mexico.

“With tax season upon us, this case should serve as a reminder to tax professionals across the state; if you cheat the system, you will be held accountable,” said Demesia Padilla, Read More

Court Of Appeals Celebrates 50 Years

by

Judge Michael Bustamante
 
By Judges Michael D. Bustamante and M. Monica Zamora,
New Mexico Court of Appeals
 
Today is the 50th anniversary of the creation of the New Mexico Court of Appeals. In 1965, the State Legislature approved a proposed constitutional amendment to create an intermediate court of appeals. The Legislature acted because the State Supreme Court’s burgeoning case load was resulting in unacceptable delays in the disposition of appeals. Voters overwhelmingly approved the amendment in a special election on September 28, 1965.
Read More

Appointed Probate Judge Bill McKerley Seeks Election

by

By BILL MCKERLEY
Republican Candidate
Los Alamos County Probate Judge
 
I am Bill McKerley and I am a candidate for the position of Probate Judge for Los Alamos County. Before I tell you a little bit about me and why I am a candidate, I thought it might be informative to say a few words about probate and the function of the Probate Judge.
 
Probate is the judicial process for transferring the property of a person who has died (called decedent). The property is transferred according to either: (1) the decedent’s Will, or (2) if the decedent dies without a Will, according to New Mexico’s
Read More

Balderas Announces $605,000 In Judgements Against Brothers In Meth Money Laundering Case

by

Joe Chavez. Courtesy photo
 
STATE News:
 
ALAMOGORDO ― Attorney General Hector Balderas has announced that an Alamogordo judge, the Honorable James W. Counts, assessed $605,000 in penalties against brothers Joe and Robert Chavez, nicknamed “the AZ Boys”, who ran a meth-trafficking operation between New Mexico and Arizona.
 
In 2014, both were convicted at trial of felonies including racketeering, conspiracy, drug trafficking, and multiple counts each of money laundering. The Office of the Attorney General jointly prosecuted these criminal cases with the Twelfth Judicial
Read More