Judge candidates weigh in

According to a district judicial applicant, Judge Stephen Quinn postponed his retirement so a court attorney could have a shot at being his successor.

“I’ll tell you, it was the greatest compliment when he said that to me,” Court Attorney Benjamin Cross said. “(Quinn) called me into his office, and basically, he told me that I’m the right type of person. I love my family, my community and I have patience. I think before I speak, and he just thought that I had the proper temperament.”

Cross, who just turned 35, understands that he may not be chosen for the job right off the bat. If he doesn’t have beginner’s luck, he said he’ll immediately ask the new district judge what he can do to help.

“We area close-knit group,” Cross said. “If I don’t get this position, whoever does immediately joins our team. I’ll meet them at the front door on their first day and ask what I can do to help. All the other candidates are my friends, and I think highly of all of them.”

Cross’s qualifications include experience in all dockets including criminal, family and civil cases. He earned his law degree from the University of New Mexico in 2006, he said.

“I’ve basically been allowed to be an apprentice for this job,” Cross said. “I know the stresses that they face and their day-to-day routines.”

Another applicant, Clovis attorney Brett Carter, said he wanted to continue his public service as the next district judge. Carter is a former district attorney and state public defender.

“I have a broad background and can see things from the perspective of the prosecution as well as the defense side,” Carter said. “I think that will help to make fair and effective decisions.”

Carter said Quinn “has the largest criminal case backlogs in this area,” and said that’s one thing he’d like to improve if he were to be appointed.

“(I want to) help improve the system. The quicker we get to trial and get cases resolved … we can reduce backlogs and improve efficiency in the entire system.”

The judicial nominating committee is David Herring, chair; Judge Edward Chavez; Judge Timothy Garcia; Judge Drew Tatum; Attorney Hollie Barnett; Jody Bailey, Attorney Kathleen Haynes; Richard Gomez; Attorney Richard Queener; Tom Phelps; Attorney Benjamin E. Herrmann; Attorney Randy J. Knudson; Attorney Richard Rowley, III; and Attorney Mark Sweetman.

According to the rules and regulations for appointing a district judge in New Mexico, the committee will conduct a formal vote that will be held in a public session, and the chair may only vote to break a tie. The committee “should strive to recommend a list of two or more names for each position to the Governor,” the rules state, and the committee will send a list of nominees in alphabetical order with no rank to the Governor for her to appoint from.

If the Governor wants to see additional names, the chair must solicit further applications, schedule a second public meeting, provide notice to applicants, commissioners, media and public of the second meeting, supply a list of additional applicants to the media and reside over the second meeting.

The 9th District Judicial Nominating Committee is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Curry County Courthouse.