New Mexico
New Mexico’s highest court is the New Mexico Supreme Court. The court has four justices and one chief justice. The chief justice is appointed according to the same procedures as the associate justices. (Source: New Mexico Constitution)
Judicial Selection
The governor appoints New Mexico Supreme Court justices from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. An appointed justice must compete in a partisan election during the first general election after appointment. If elected, the justice serves the remainder of the seat’s eight-year term. At the end of that term, justices may stand in an unopposed yes/no retention vote. If retained by at least 57 percent affirmative votes, the justice serves another eight-year term. Justices may stand for additional terms in the same retention process. To fill an interim vacancy, the governor appoints a candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. An appointed justice serves until the next general election, where multiple candidates may vie for the seat in a partisan election. The elected judge serves the remainder of the unexpired term. There are no term limits, nor is there a mandatory retirement age.
State Constitution
New Mexico’s first and only state constitution was adopted in 1911. As of January 1, 2024, it had 177 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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The Active Environmental Agendas of State Attorneys General
The U.S. Supreme Court this week paved the way for Democratic attorneys general to proceed with suits against fossil fuel companies under state law.
Executive Orders and Threatened Cuts Challenge Public Education and the Courts
Education rights expert Joshua Weishart discusses the effects of Trump’s education policy changes and how states are pushing back.
State Constitutional Resources We Love
For those who want to know more about state constitutions, a compilation of tools including case databases, interactive maps, and more.
Fifty Unique, Ever-Changing State Constitutions
A new resource from the State Democracy Research Initiative makes the current text of all 50 state constitutions available and searchable on one site.
Anti-Abortion Strategies Center on 19th Century Federal Law
Activists hope to set up a clash between the Comstock Act and state laws protecting abortion.
Scholarship Roundup: New Year Edition
The last few months brought a rich array of articles and books about state constitutions, courts, and governance.
Local Abortion Restrictions Preempted in New Mexico
The New Mexico Supreme Court struck down an attempt by conservative activists to create anti-abortion enclaves in the state, which has expansive abortion protections.
State Constitutions Have a Role to Play in the Housing Crisis
Voters in multiple states approved constitutional amendments last year to address housing affordability and access.