Pleading the Sixth: The New Mexico chief public defender recently requested the state legislature for a 21% increase in funding. Ten years ago, the chief public defender was fired a week after telling lawmakers that the system was underfunded. 6AC…
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New Mexico
All data is current as of 2013, unless otherwise noted. Return to the list of all States & Territories. How the right to counsel is administered and structured State commission: yes Branch of government: judicial The New Mexico Law Offices…
Calm down; the New Mexico Supreme Court did not say flat-fee contracts are always constitutional
Pleading the Sixth: Though press reports are generally touting a recent New Mexico Supreme Court opinion as declaring flat fee contracting to be constitutional, the reality is more nuanced. The 6AC walks the reader through the historical background for the…
New Mexico becomes 20th state with independent public defense commission
Pleading the Sixth: On April 5, 2013, the Governor of New Mexico signed a public defender commission bill into law signaling the end of the political practices that led to instability in the chief public defender position. Will this day…
New Mexico legislature begins work on public defender commission bill
Pleading the Sixth: On November 6, 2012, the New Mexico electorate passed a constitutional amendment requiring the creation of an independent public defender commission. In anticipation of the next legislative session, the House Committee for the Courts, Corrections and Justice…
New Mexico voters to decide fate of public defender independence
Pleading the Sixth: Advocates in New Mexico have tried for years to insulate the state public defender from undue political interference with no success. So now the voters will decide whether to amend the state constitution to require the legislature…
