United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
About This Court
Established as a federal district court upon New Mexico's admission to the Union in 1912, this court exercises original federal jurisdiction over the entire state of New Mexico. The district is the fifth-largest in the contiguous United States by land area, covering approximately 121,590 square miles of diverse terrain that includes urban centers, rural agricultural regions, tribal lands, and border areas adjacent to Mexico.
The court sits within the Tenth Circuit and handles a wide range of civil and criminal matters arising under federal law. Its location along the United States-Mexico border and its proximity to numerous federally recognized tribal nations give its docket a distinctive character, with significant volumes of immigration-related cases and matters involving federal Indian law.
Courthouses are maintained in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and Roswell, allowing the court to serve litigants across this geographically expansive state. The Albuquerque courthouse serves as the primary seat of the court.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, District of New Mexico.
Caseload
The District of New Mexico consistently handles one of the highest per-judge caseloads in the nation, driven largely by federal criminal prosecutions related to immigration enforcement and drug trafficking along the southwestern border. Civil matters involving disputes on tribal lands and cases arising under the Indian Civil Rights Act also represent a notable portion of the docket.
Bar Admission
Attorneys seeking admission to practice before this court must be admitted to the State Bar of New Mexico or be admitted pro hac vice for a specific matter. Applicants must also certify familiarity with the court's local rules.
Clerk's Office
333 Lomas Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 348-2000
Active Judges 12
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| M. Armijo | George W. Bush | 2001 | University of New Mexico School of Law |
| Robert Brack | George W. Bush | 2003 | University of New Mexico School of Law |
| James Browning | George W. Bush | 2003 | University of Virginia School of Law |
| Sarah Davenport | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | University of New Mexico School of Law |
| Matthew Garcia | Joseph R. Biden | 2023 | University of New Mexico School of Law |
| Kenneth Gonzales | Barack Obama | 2013 | University of New Mexico School of Law |
| Judith Herrera | George W. Bush | 2004 | Georgetown University Law Center |
| William Johnson | George W. Bush | 2001 | Washington and Lee University School of Law |
| Kea Riggs | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | University of Oklahoma College of Law |
| Margaret Strickland | Joseph R. Biden | 2021 | New York University School of Law |
| David Urias | Joseph R. Biden | 2021 | University of New Mexico School of Law |
| Martha Vázquez | William J. Clinton | 1993 | Notre Dame Law School |
Local Rules
83 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.