According to the Judicial Nominating Commission, Judge Michael Bustamante will retire from the New Mexico Court of Appeals on October 31, 2016, and Judge Roderick Kennedy will retire from the Court on November 30, 2016.
Andrew Oxford has this comprehensive article about the retirements in today’s Santa Fe New Mexican, in which he explains the judge’ reasons for retiring, and other interesting details.
The Judicial Nominating Commission will meet on December 1, 2016 in Santa Fe to interview applicants to replace Judge Bustamante. A separate commission will meet later in December to interview applicants to replace Judge Kennedy.
The commissions will then send the names of applicants they’ve determined to be qualified to Governor Martinez, who will then appoint replacements. Governor Martinez’s appointees will have to run for election in the 2018 general election.
Whoever replaces these judges will have big shoes to fill.
Judge Bustamante graduated from UNM Law School in 1974, and after a career in private practice, he was appointed to the Court by Governor Bruce King in 1994. He is known for his interest and expertise in New Mexico history (legal and non-legal), and for his pointed questions at oral argument.
Judge Kennedy graduated from the University of Toledo (Ohio) Law School in 1980, and was elected to Albuquerque’s Metropolitan Court in 1988. Governor Gary Johnson appointed him to the Court of Appeals in 1999, and again in 2001, and he has remained there ever since. Judge Kennedy is known for his expertise and interest in scientific evidence.
Many thanks to Judge Bustamante and Judge Kennedy for their years of service to the people of New Mexico!
