State v. Castrillo: Exclusive-Care Medical Causation Plus Inculpatory Post-Event Conduct Supports Sufficiency; Predating Social-Media Photo Not “Material” Newly Discovered Evidence 1. Introduction In...
State v. Villalobos: Speedy Trial Presumed-Prejudice Rule for Intellectually Disabled Defendants When Delay Stems from Counsel Neglect and State Inaction Introduction In State v. Villalobos (N.M. May...
State v. Flores — Social-Media “Gang” Signals Are Inadmissible Character Evidence Absent Door-Opening; Firearm Images, Text-Extraction Reports, and Lay Video Interpretation May Be Admitted to Prove...
Moreno v. Ranger Energy Services: New Mexico’s Savings Statute Applies Only If the First Action Was Timely Commenced (No “Resurrection” of Time-Barred Foreign Filings) 1. Introduction In Moreno v....
Accident Theory Forecloses Self-Defense and Imperfect Self-Defense (Voluntary Manslaughter) Instructions in New Mexico Case: State v. Lopez (No. S-1-SC-40306) Court: Supreme Court of New Mexico Date:...
New Mexico Adopts a “High Level of Deference” to an Agency’s Interpretation of Its Own Prior Orders I. Introduction City of Las Cruces v. N.M. Pub. Regul. Comm'n (N.M. May 11, 2026) arises from...
State v. Aragon: New Mexico Adopts Smith v. Arizona’s Confrontation Rule for Surrogate Forensic Opinions and Reinforces Double-Jeopardy Limits on Multiple Tampering Counts I. Introduction In State v....
State v. Syed: Circumstantial Proof of Shooter Identity and Deliberate Intent in First-Degree Murder Introduction In State v. Syed (N.M. May 7, 2026) (No. S-1-SC-40732), the Supreme Court of New...
State v. Salazar: When Mistake-of-Fact Is Subsumed by Provocation, and Grief Alone Does Not Justify an “Inability to Deliberate” Instruction 1. Introduction In State v. Salazar (N.M. May 7, 2026, No....
State v. Eaker: Dual-Credit Presentence Confinement Requires Actual Confinement in the Case Seeking Credit; French Abrogated Introduction In State v. Eaker (N.M. May 7, 2026), the Supreme Court of...
Corroborated Accomplice Testimony and Lewis-Compliant Jury Instructions Sustain Felony-Murder Conviction Introduction In State v. Maldonado, the Supreme Court of New Mexico affirmed Christopher...
Vacated Utility Rates Cannot Be “Trued-Up” Through Later Regulatory Assets Absent a Stay or Interim Rates (No Retroactive Loss Recovery) Case: El Paso Elec. Co. v. N.M. Pub. Regul. Comm'n (Supreme...
State v. Neal: General-Verdict Kidnapping Elevated by a “Sexual Offense” Requires Vacatur of the Lone Sexual-Offense Conviction; Appellate Courts Must Compare Each Lesser Conviction to the...
State v. Ward: Involuntary Manslaughter Requires Recklessness (Not “Criminal Negligence”) and UJI 14-231 Must Remove “Should Have Known” 1. Introduction In State v. Ward (N.M. Sup. Ct. Mar. 16,...
Serious Youthful Offender First-Degree Murder: Five-Year Parole Applies Even When the Life Sentence Is Mitigated I. Introduction State v. Benavidez (Supreme Court of New Mexico, Feb. 23, 2026) arises...
Reaffirming Herron: “Sufficient Indicia of Distinctness,” Not an “Incidental Acts” Test, Governs Multiple CSP Punishments Under Section 30-9-11 Introduction In State v. Urquidi-Martinez (N.M. Feb....
State v. Aguilar: Unstricken Unsolicited Testimony Becomes Fair Game in Closing, and “Sosa” Constrains Reversal for Misquoted Evidence Court: Supreme Court of New Mexico Date: February 16, 2026...
State v. Valencia: Trial Courts Must Not Weigh “Sobriety” Evidence When Deciding Whether to Give a Voluntary-Intoxication Instruction; “Slight Evidence” Standard Disavowed Court: Supreme Court of New...
State v. Skeets: Section 39-3-3(B)(1) Allows State Appeals Only From Final (or Practically Final) Dismissals—No Jurisdiction to Appeal a No-Probable-Cause Discharge When Refiling Is Available...
State v. Valdez: No Heightened Rule 11-403 Balancing for Combined Rule 11-404(B) and Rule 11-804(B)(5) Forfeiture-by-Wrongdoing Evidence; Breakdown-in-Communication Substitution Claims Require...