Rule 23-117 Qualifications of judicial nominees.

If you want to apply for a judicial opening in New Mexico, you have to meet certain legal requirements first. One of these requirements is being a licensed lawyer in New Mexico. This rule explains what that means when the law says a judge must have practiced law or be a member of the New Mexico Bar.

Under this rule, a person applying for a judge position must already be admitted to the New Mexico Bar at the time they apply. It does not matter which path they took to get their law license. Any method allowed under the state's bar admission rules counts, including limited license options.

In short, this rule makes sure that anyone applying to become a judge is already a licensed lawyer in New Mexico when they submit their application. It does not require a specific type of law license, just that the person has one through an approved method.