New Mexico Case Commentaries

Montejo v. New Mexico Supreme Court: Affirmation of Sixth Amendment Waiver Standards

Date: Dec 23, 2023

Montejo v. New Mexico Supreme Court: Affirmation of Sixth Amendment Waiver Standards Disclaimer: This commentary is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For...

Retroactive Application of Substantive Rules: Impact of State v. Marquez on Felony Murder Convictions

Date: Jun 23, 2023

Retroactive Application of Substantive Rules: Impact of State v. Marquez on Felony Murder Convictions Introduction In the landmark case Mario Rudolfo v. Robert Steward, Warden, LCCC, Vincent Horton,...

Inherent Authority of District Courts to Review Sufficiency of Evidence Postverdict in State of New Mexico v. Martinez

Date: Nov 2, 2021

Inherent Authority of District Courts to Review Sufficiency of Evidence Postverdict Introduction The case of State of New Mexico v. Julian A. Martinez serves as a pivotal judgment in New Mexico's...

New Mexico Supreme Court Establishes 'Facilitative Use' Standard for Deadly Weapons in Assault Cases

Date: Oct 19, 2021

New Mexico Supreme Court Establishes 'Facilitative Use' Standard for Deadly Weapons in Assault Cases Introduction In the landmark case of State of New Mexico v. Zachariah G., the Supreme Court of New...

State Supreme Court Upholds Legislative Council's Authority to Restrict In-Person Access to Sessions Amid Pandemic

Date: Jul 1, 2021

State Supreme Court Upholds Legislative Council's Authority to Restrict In-Person Access to Sessions Amid Pandemic Introduction In the landmark case of SEN. CLIFF PIRTLE et al. v. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL...

Risk-Based Endangerment Suffices for Aggravated Fleeing Convictions under NMSA § 30-22-1.1

Date: May 28, 2021

Risk-Based Endangerment Suffices for Aggravated Fleeing Convictions under NMSA § 30-22-1.1 Introduction In the landmark case of State of New Mexico v. Sean Vest, decided on May 27, 2021, the Supreme...

Clarifying the Unit of Prosecution in Double Jeopardy Cases: State v. Benally

Date: May 21, 2021

Clarifying the Unit of Prosecution in Double Jeopardy Cases: State v. Benally Introduction State of New Mexico v. Milo Benally, 493 P.3d 366 (N.M. 2021), addresses a pivotal issue in criminal law...

State v. Cruz: Protecting the Right to Counsel at Critical Stages

Date: Mar 5, 2021

State v. Cruz: Protecting the Right to Counsel at Critical Stages Introduction The State of New Mexico v. Antonio Cruz case (486 P.3d 1) adjudicated by the Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico on...

Affirming Executive Authority in Public Health Emergencies: Grisham v. Romero

Date: Feb 16, 2021

Affirming Executive Authority in Public Health Emergencies: Grisham v. Romero Introduction The case of Michelle LuJuan Grisham, Governor of New Mexico; Kathyleen Kunkel, Secretary of the New Mexico...

New Mexico Supreme Court Establishes Per Se Exclusionary Rule for Unnecessarily Suggestive Eyewitness Identifications

Date: Nov 20, 2020

New Mexico Supreme Court Establishes Per Se Exclusionary Rule for Unnecessarily Suggestive Eyewitness Identifications Introduction In the landmark case State of New Mexico v. Ricardo Martinez, the...

Porter v. State of New Mexico: Strengthening Double Jeopardy Protections by Emphasizing Substantive Sameness

Date: Aug 4, 2020

Porter v. State of New Mexico: Strengthening Double Jeopardy Protections by Emphasizing Substantive Sameness Introduction In Porter v. State of New Mexico, 476 P.3d 1201 (2020), the Supreme Court of...

Enhancing Fair Trial Protections: Limiting Prosecutorial Misconduct and Clarifying Double Jeopardy in New Mexico

Date: Jun 26, 2020

Enhancing Fair Trial Protections: Limiting Prosecutorial Misconduct and Clarifying Double Jeopardy in New Mexico Introduction The case of State of New Mexico v. Richard J. Sena (470 P.3d 227)...

Substantive Unconscionability in Arbitration Agreements: Peavy v. Skilled Healthcare Group

Date: Apr 7, 2020

Substantive Unconscionability in Arbitration Agreements: Peavy v. Skilled Healthcare Group Introduction The case of Peavy v. Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc., adjudicated by the Supreme Court of New...

Mandating Fee-Shifting in Workers' Compensation: Insights from Baker v. Endeavor Services

Date: Sep 7, 2018

Mandating Fee-Shifting in Workers' Compensation: Insights from Baker v. Endeavor Services Introduction In the landmark case of Baker v. Endeavor Services, Inc., the Supreme Court of the State of New...

Double Jeopardy Permits Successive Prosecutions in Racketeering Cases: State v. Loza

Date: Aug 24, 2018

Double Jeopardy Permits Successive Prosecutions in Racketeering Cases: State v. Loza Introduction State of New Mexico v. Matias Loza (426 P.3d 34), adjudicated by the Supreme Court of the State of...

Balancing Speedy Trial Rights: Presumption of Prejudice in Extended Pretrial Incarceration

Date: Oct 24, 2017

Balancing Speedy Trial Rights: Presumption of Prejudice in Extended Pretrial Incarceration Introduction The case of State of New Mexico v. John Eric Ochoa, reported in 406 P.3d 505, addresses the...

State v. Vargas: Upholding Fourth Amendment Rights by Restricting Criminal Penalties for Refusing Warrantless Blood Tests in DWI Cases

Date: Oct 6, 2017

State v. Vargas: Upholding Fourth Amendment Rights by Restricting Criminal Penalties for Refusing Warrantless Blood Tests in DWI Cases Introduction In the landmark case of State of New Mexico v....

Supreme Court of New Mexico Affirms Inadmissibility of Nolo Contendere Pleas in Civil Fraud Cases

Date: Dec 2, 2016

Supreme Court of New Mexico Affirms Inadmissibility of Nolo Contendere Pleas in Civil Fraud Cases Introduction The case of William E. Kipnis and Marci Kipnis v. Michael Jusbasche and Rebecca...

Fundamental Error in Jury Instructions: Revisiting Consent in Criminal Sexual Penetration and Kidnapping Cases

Date: Aug 9, 2016

Fundamental Error in Jury Instructions: Revisiting Consent in Criminal Sexual Penetration and Kidnapping Cases Introduction The case of State of New Mexico v. Anthony Samora (387 P.3d 230, 2016)...

Defining 'Entry' in Breaking and Entering: New Precedent in State v. Holt

Date: Feb 26, 2016

Defining 'Entry' in Breaking and Entering: New Precedent in State v. Holt Introduction State of New Mexico v. Anthony Holt is a pivotal case adjudicated by the Supreme Court of New Mexico on February...