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Lawmakers describe staffing collapse and case backlog in Eleventh Judicial District prosecutor’s office
Summary
Members raised concerns about the Eleventh Judicial District district attorney’s office, reporting that the office currently has a single attorney on duty, hundreds of unaddressed cases and staffing and prosecution problems that local officials and judges have flagged for more than a year.
Committee members described an ongoing staffing and prosecution crisis in the Eleventh Judicial District’s district attorney office and discussed the limits of legislative and executive authority to intervene.
A member told the committee that the DA’s office in the Eleventh Judicial District “has only her at the office” and that managers and staff have left or been fired; the speaker said the office has “over 600 cases” waiting. The member said prior temporary measures had used contract attorneys to cover hearings but that those arrangements are no longer in place.
Why it matters: Prosecutors’ offices manage case filings that affect public safety and access to justice. Committee members pressed staff and other officials about what options exist when a local DA’s office is unable or unwilling to assign prosecutors to cases.
Details presented to the committee
- Staffing and caseloads: The committee heard that the Eleventh Judicial District’s caseload per attorney is “by far” the highest in the state, with a cited example “over 2,000 compared to, like, a 150” in other districts. The member said there are deep operational problems, including alleged firing of staff and rejection of overtime requests.
- Attempts to resolve: The committee was told the Attorney General was asked to step in on some cases but that the local DA denied assignment authority; the member said the courts and other local DAs had explored temporary staffing and contract solutions. The Eleventh District was described as geographically split (Gallup and San Juan/Farmington were mentioned) and reliant on ad hoc assignments from nearby DA offices to handle hearings.
- Legal limits on removal: Committee discussion noted that removing an elected district attorney is legally limited; the speaker said charges could only be brought by the attorney general or the governor if the DA had violated law. Committee members and staff said the options for replacing or reassigning a DA are constrained if there is no statutory violation.
What the committee asked for next
Committee members requested documentation on caseload comparisons and said staff would search for communications with the Attorney General and other offices about potential reassignments or interventions. Director‑level staff told the committee they had included caseload data in quarterly performance reports.
Ending
Lawmakers said they would continue pursuing documentation and possible remedies, while acknowledging limited legal pathways to remove or replace an elected district attorney absent proven legal violations.
