Courts

U.S. Attorney Announces Sentencing In $1.2 Million Real Estate Trust Fund Fraud Case In Roswell

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE – A former Roswell escrow company owner was sentenced to 46-months in prison for defrauding his clients of more than $1.2 million.

According to court documents, Christopher Adam Jensen-Tanner purchased Roswell Escrow Services, Inc. in 2013 and began conducting business as a servicer of real estate contracts, holding significant sums of money in trust for clients.

In January 2017, Jensen-Tanner began illegally using customer funds to finance an extravagant lifestyle beyond his means. To conceal his actions, Jensen-Tanner commingled funds between corporate Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court Rules On Legal Duties Of Lawyers To Non-Clients Without Legal Representation

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NMSC News: 

SANTA FE — The state Supreme Court ruled Thursday that an ethical rule for attorneys in dealing with non-clients does not establish a legal responsibility for lawyers that could result in liability for alleged malpractice in their professional actions.

In a unanimous opinion, the Court affirmed a district court’s determination in a legal malpractice case that Rule 16-403 of the Rules of Professional Conduct does not create a duty to a non-client for purposes of civil liability.

“A determination of legal duty is a question for the district court to resolve, and the Rules of Professional Read More

U.S. Attorney And FBI Charge Farmington Woman For Federal Drug Trafficking And Firearms Offenses … If Convicted She Faces Up To Life In Prison

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Following a high speed chase, investigators discovered a cell phone and more than 4,000 suspected counterfeit oxycodone pills submerged in water inside this cooler in Tasheena Hoskie’s vehicle. They also found 6,000 unidentified pills and 2 firearms and additional suspected methamphetamine. A subsequent search of Hoskie’s residence in Farmington uncovered more suspected methamphetamine, approximately 6,000 unidentified pills and 10 firearms. Courtesy/FBI

Investigators recovered approximately 548 grams of suspected methamphetamine that had been thrown from Tasheena Hoskie’s Read More

Tales Of Our Times: The Fare In Hallways Beats A Diet Of ‘Breaking News’

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Tales Of Our Times
By JOHN BARTLIT
New Mexico Citizens for Clean Air & Water

Across decades, I have worked a fair amount on environmental issues in various venues. These venues have ranged from legislative hearings to the media’s routines to hallways.

Every venue gathers players who try to improve decision-making. The best tips from participants are eye-openers. Yet, at any time, other players work to foil good decisions. Today these thoughts are timely, though they are hardly new. In times long gone, our nation’s founders had similar ideas.

The U.S. Constitutional Convention began May Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court Issues Decision On Parentage In Same-Gender Marriage

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NMSC News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Supreme Court (NMSC) ruled Thursday that a legal presumption of parentage of children born during a marriage applies under New Mexico law regardless if one partner admits under oath to not being genetically or biologically related to the children.

The best interest of a child is the key consideration in a parentage determination, the Court emphasized in its decision.

The Court’s unanimous opinion provided the legal reasoning for an order that Jeannine Kammann is a legal parent to twin children born during her same-gender marriage to Maile Soon. The Court Read More

Federal Judge Upholds New Mexico’s Seven-Day Waiting Period For Firearm Purchases

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From the Office of the Governor:

SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is encouraged by U.S. District Judge James Browning’s decision on Monday that preliminarily upheld the state’s Waiting Period Act.

“The judge’s decision confirms that New Mexico’s waiting period is likely constitutional and allows it to remain in effect,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “This 7-day cooling-off period makes our community safer by providing a critical buffer against impulsive firearms purchases and ensuring comprehensive background checks are completed. This law is a commonsense measure designed to reduce Read More

New Mexico Office Of Insurance Reviewing Its Legal Options Following District Court’s Ruling That State Farm Need Not Comply With Provision Of Amended Emergency Order

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New Mexico Superintendent of Insurance Alice T. Kane

OSI News:

SANTA FE — The Santa Fe District Court ruled July 23 that it would not require State Farm and Casualty Company (“State Farm”) to comply with the provision of the New Mexico Superintendent of Insurance’s Amended Emergency Order that sought to require insurance companies to pay $5,000 in living expenses to policyholders forced to evacuate as a result of the South Fork and Salt Fires if the consumer’s insurance policy covered Additional Living Expenses (“ALE”).

New Mexico Superintendent of Insurance Alice T. Kane issued the following Read More

PED Receives Grant Funds To Provide Free Digital Citizenship Training For New Mexicans Starting In Santa Fe

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PED News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) was recently awarded a $453,000 Google Kids Initiative grant as a result of a 2021 settlement agreement between the New Mexico Department of Justice and Google.

The PED will be using grant funds to provide digital citizenship training to New Mexico residents. Training sessions will provide instruction to educators, parents and community members on key topics such as screen time, social media, AI and Internet safety for children.

The first two trainings are scheduled for July 29 and 30 in Santa Fe. A training session in Taos Read More

New Mexico State Police Arrest Former Lieutenant For Timecard And Overtime Fraud

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Former NMSP Lt. David Neil
Grant County Detention Center

NMSP News:

SILVER CITY—The New Mexico State Police (NMSP) today announced former State Police Lt. David Neil’s arrest following a thorough investigation into allegations of timecard and overtime fraud. The arrest marks a significant step in the department’s commitment to maintaining transparency, integrity, and accountability within its ranks.

The investigation began last year after internal audits revealed discrepancies in Neil’s timecard submissions and overtime claims. The discrepancies prompted NMSP to launch a comprehensive Read More

NMSP: Traffic Stop Leads To Drug Bust, Felony Charges

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NMSP News:

SANTA FE—On July 16, 2024, at around 1:58 p.m., a New Mexico State Police (NMSP) officer made a traffic stop on Agua Fria and Alicia for a seatbelt violation, which resulted in a significant drug bust and multiple felony charges. During the stop, the officer learned that the passenger, Jesse Angel Tredway, 19, who was not wearing his seatbelt, had an outstanding warrant for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Upon further investigation, a search warrant was obtained for a backpack in Tredway’s possession. The subsequent search revealed large quantities of cash, drugs (including Read More