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Committee approves raising minimum age for magistrate judges to 28

5695808 · March 8, 2025

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Summary

The House Judiciary Committee gave a do-pass recommendation to House Bill 244, which raises the minimum age for magistrate judges from 18 to 28 and applies to elected or appointed positions, with broad support from the Magistrate Judges Association and the New Mexico Supreme Court.

Representative Little presented House Bill 244 and introduced Judge Jimmy Foster, president of the Magistrate Judges Association, and Michael Vigil of the New Mexico Supreme Court. The sponsor said the bill would raise the minimum age of magistrate judges to 28 for appointment or election.

Judge Foster and Justice Michael Vigil told the committee the magistrate bench and the Magistrate Judges Association support the measure. Committee members voiced support and asked whether an appointee under 28 could still be appointed in an emergency; members found the bill’s language addressing election or appointment on line 21 indicated age applied to both elected and appointed magistrate judges.

Representative Reed moved a due-pass recommendation; Representative Chavez seconded. The committee chair called a roll and announced that the committee gave a due pass on House Bill 244.

The committee record shows the bill carried unanimous or strong support in committee; it proceeds with a do-pass recommendation.