The bill proposes significant changes to the structure of magistrate courts in New Mexico, specifically targeting the McKinley, Santa Fe, Torrance, Dona Ana, and Lea districts. It amends several sections of the New Mexico Statutes Annotated (NMSA) 1978 to reflect these changes. For instance, the Dona Ana district will maintain seven magistrates operating as a single court in Las Cruces, while the Lea district will have four magistrates with specific divisions operating in Hobbs, Eunice, and Lovington. The McKinley district will have three magistrates in Gallup, and the Santa Fe district will continue with four magistrates in Santa Fe.

Additionally, the bill outlines the future structure of the Rio Arriba district, which will have two magistrates operating in Espanola, with a transition in 2027 to have them ride circuit to Tierra Amarilla instead of Chama. The Torrance district will have one magistrate based in Moriarty. The amendments also clarify the election process for magistrate judges, stating that they will be elected by voters in their respective divisions rather than at large from the district. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the operations of magistrate courts across these districts while ensuring local representation in the election of magistrate judges.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 35-1-10, 35-1-12, 35-1-16, 35-1-20, 35-1-24, 35-1-27, 35-1-29, 35-1-33
Final Version: 35-1-10, 35-1-16, 35-1-20, 35-1-24, 35-1-29, 35-1-33