04/08/19 STEVE GUTHRIE: Supreme Court Case No. S-1-SC-37561; JSC Inquiry No. 2018-031

On April 8, 2019, the Supreme Court issued an order granting the Commission’s Petition to Accept Stipulation Agreement and Consent to Discipline and publicly censured Hon. Steve Guthrie, Otero County Magistrate Court Judge. To view or download a copy of the disciplinary petition click here, and for the Supreme Court’s Order and Public Censure click here.

03/29/19 DOROTHY ENCINIAS: Supreme Court Case No. S-1-SC-37456; JSC Inquiry No. 2018-078

On March 29, 2019, the New Mexico Supreme Court granted the Commission’s Motion to Accept Stipulation to Permanent Resignation in Lieu of Further Disciplinary Proceedings concerning Hon. Dorothy Encinias, Moriarty Municipal Court Judge. The Commission had originally filed a Petition to Accept Stipulation Agreement and Consent to Discipline on January 3, 2019 with the Supreme Court, in which it was … Read More

03/12/19 WARREN G. WALTON: Supreme Court Case No. S-1-SC-36763, JSC Inquiry Nos. 2016-101, 2016-139, 2017-108, 2017-041 and 2017-053

On March 12, 2019, the Supreme Court granted the Commission’s uncontested Motion to Enforce the breach provision of the stipulated agreement that the Court accepted and issued a disciplinary order to the Hon. Warren G. Walton, Colfax County Magistrate Judge, on December 31, 2018, and issued the public censure on January 4, 2019 (see prior dated posts below). The Supreme … Read More

01/31/19 DEBORAH DAVIS WALKER: Supreme Court Case No. S-1-SC-37498, JSC Inquiry No. 2019-003

On January 24, 2019, within hours of her arrest for DWI and a related charge, the Commission issued a Notice of Preliminary Investigation to Second Judicial District Court Judge Deborah Davis Walker. After completing negotiations on January 25, 2019, Respondent and the Commission entered into a Stipulation to Permanent Retirement in Lieu of Immediate Temporary Suspension and Further Disciplinary Proceedings, … Read More

12/31/18 WARREN G. WALTON: Supreme Court Case No. S-1-SC-36763, JSC Inquiry Nos. 2016-101, 2016-139, 2017-108, 2017-041 and 2017-053

The Supreme Court issued a public censure to Colfax County Magistrate Judge Warren G. Walton on December 31, 2018, which will be published in the New Mexico State Bar Bulletin. The Court had previously issued the underlying disciplinary order on December 18, 2017, granting the Commission’s Petition for Discipline Upon Stipulation, which was filed on November 22, 2018.  To download … Read More

12/03/18 NELLIE SORIANO: Supreme Court Case No. S-1-SC-37346, JSC Inquiry Nos. 2016-081 and 2016-086

The Supreme Court granted the Commission’s October 29, 2018 Petition to Accept Stipulation to Permanent Resignation from Judicial Office in Lieu of Further Disciplinary Proceedings concerning Anthony Municipal Court Judge Nellie Soriano.  The Court ordered that the permanent resignation be effective at 5:00 p.m. on December 3, 2018.  To download a copy of the Commission’s petition click here, and for … Read More

11/19/18 Debt Collected in STEVEN G. RYAN, Supreme Court Case No. 33,369, JSC Inquiry Nos. 1996-006, 1996-060 & 1996-065

On November 19, 2018, former Las Cruces Municipal Court Judge Steven G. Ryan satisfied the $958.66 outstanding judgment lien including interest which the Commission recorded after Ryan failed to repay costs ordered by the Supreme Court. Ryan resigned in the 1990s upon stipulated agreement with the Commission that was approved and ordered by the Supreme Court. In 2012 on motion … Read More