Email
New Mexico’s judicial system has weathered several years of budget cuts but needs the Legislature’s help to keep up with a heavy load of new cases, Chief Justice Petra Maes told lawmakers today.
Maes, who is in her second stint as chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court, specifically requested during her State of the Judiciary address that nine new judgeships be funded by the Legislature. She also urged lawmaker to grant a salary increase for all court workers.
“The judiciary is more efficient than it ever has been and we will strive to improve,” Maes said. “But the simple truth is we cannot keep up with the demand and we need more judges.”
Maes said stagnant salary levels — court workers and other state employees have not had a base salary increase since 2008 — could threaten the judicial system’s ability to retain employees, many of whom have had to take on new job duties in recent years.
The Legislature has recommended increasing the judicial system’s budget by $7.5 million in the coming year, which would be a 3.8 percent increase. However, the judiciary had requested about $17 million in additional funding.
-- Email the reporter at dboyd@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-992-6281
