Happy New Year!
Here are the top 10 most popular posts on the New Mexico Appellate Law Blog from 2015. Thanks again to all readers of this blog!
1. NM court rejects man’s claim that neighbor’s use of wi-fi and cell phone harmed him. No, this was not a story line from Better Call Saul, but an actual case brought by Arthur Firstenberg, who claims that he suffers from electromagnetic sensitivity, and sued his neighbor for using her cell phone and wi-fi in her own home. Happily, the Court of Appeals declined to order our society to shut down.
2. NM Court of Appeals reaffirms that medical marijuana is covered by workers’ compensation. Despite the fact that federal law still bans marijuana.
3. NM Court of Appeals: Dismissal “without prejudice” can have res judicata effect. Who knew?
4. NM Court of Appeals holds oral argument in assisted suicide case. My account from a packed courtroom.
5. New Mexico Court of Appeals rejects right to assisted suicide. This important issue is now pending before the New Mexico Supreme Court.
6. Nominating commission interviews NM Supreme Court applicants. And Governor Martinez ultimately nominated Judith K. Nakamura to replace Justice Richard Bosson.
7. Eight apply for NM Supreme Court vacancy. Some talented folks applied to replace Justice Bosson.
8. Judge Timothy Tymkovich to be new Chief Judge of the Tenth Circuit. He replaced Mary Beck Briscoe in that post.
9. Santa Fe trial court upholds $165.5M verdict against FedEx. We look forward to reading the appellate decision in this case.
10. NM Supreme Court hears case on aerial search with implications for drones. Later on, the Supreme Court decided this case on grounds which leave unresolved the main legal questions concerning drones.
Oldies but goodies
The following posts from earlier years continued to attract readers in 2015:
1. New Mexico Supreme Court adopts reciprocity in bar admissions (2014). This topic continues to generate interest, but it remains to be seen how reciprocity will affect New Mexico legal practice.
2. “A Bit of the Wild West Survives in New Mexico” (2012). Lots of people want to read about our fence-out laws.
3. New Mexico Supreme Court establishes new standard for peremptory excusals of judges (2013). If you’re interested in this topic, you’ll want to take a look at the recent amendments to Rule 1-088.1.
4. DWI lawyer Ron Bell prevails on appeal in his own DWI case (2014). I’m hoping to see some new billboards this year.
5. Motion to compel arbitration is not a Get-Out-Of-Discovery-Free card, says NM Court of Appeals (2013). And if you get sanctioned, you won’t be able to pay with Monopoly money.
