All-Dem race for District Judge

May 23--A former judge and an attorney in private practice are trying to unseat incumbent Matthew Wilson in the race for a 1st Judicial District Court judgeship.journal-north

Wilson, 45, a Democrat, was appointed to the bench in 2013 by Gov. Susana Martinez. The June 3 Democratic primary winner among Wilson and attorneys David Thompson of Santa Fe and Yvonne Quintana of Espanola faces no challenger in the November general election, so Democratic voters in the judicial district's three counties -- Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba -- will decide the judgeship.

Wilson's court has the family law docket, meaning that cases that come before him mostly involve matters such divorce, child support or custody and domestic violence, although he recently handled a high-profile case over plans to open a horse slaughterhouse in Roswell.

Wilson's prior experience before his judicial appointment includes three years as the domestic relations hearing officer in the 1st District and service as a special assistant attorney general for the state Human Services Department's Child Support Enforcement Division.

Judge Matthew J. Wilson

OCCUPATION: District Court Judge, 1st Judicial District, Division VI

RESIDENCE: Santa Fe

AGE: 45

POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT/JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE: District Court Judge, Family Law Docket, 2013-current; domestic relations hearing officer, April 2010-2013, First Judicial District; special assistant attorney general, April 2002-March 2010; Human Services Department, Child Support Enforcement Division, Region 5; assistant district attorney, December 2000-March 2002; 12th Judicial District, Otero County, N.M., Drug Unit; assistant state attorney, April 1997-April 2000, 10th Judicial Circuit, Highlands County, Fla., felony and misdemeanor divisions.

David K. Thomson

OCCUPATION: Attorney

PARTY: Democrat

RESIDENCE: Santa Fe

AGE: 46POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT/JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE: Legislative aide to Senator Jeff Bingaman; law clerk, U.S. Federal Judge Bruce Black; former deputy attorney general, New Mexico Attorney General's Office; former 1st Judicial District Judge, Division VII.

Yvonne Quintana

OCCUPATION: Attorney

PARTY: Democrat

RESIDENCE: Espanola

AGE: Not provided

POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT/JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE: Not provided; ran for District Judge in 2010.

"I want to emphasize this is a family law docket that I do handle now. I have been immersed in family law for a number of years, for over a decade," Wilson said when asked why he's the best candidate.

He gave an example of one of the types of legal matters he handles, a kinship-guardianship case, where there's a newborn child and problems with the fitness of the parents. "There might be substance abuse issues involved with the parents and so a grandparent or another relative might file suit seeking custody of their grandchild," Wilson said.

Asked about the serious drug addiction problem in northern New Mexico, he said, "It would be nice to see some kind of a family drug court in a family law context where you have a bit of structure" and periodically review the participants to make sure they are on a right path with drug tests or counseling.

Wilson described principles that guide him on the bench, including being prepared and calling each case on time. "It's something I try to aspire to every day," he said. "I think it's important to listen to both sides completely, allow them to present their case. I think that's the essence of fairness."

"I think it's essential to make timely decisions so people can move on with their lives. Even if you don't rule in someone's favor, there's a decision and they can move forward," he added. "And I understand that what I wear is a robe and not a crown, and it's important to give people the respect that they deserve, not to say I wouldn't be firm when necessary, but I think that's important.

"I think I was selected for this position because, as a hearing officer for a number of years, I built a reputation as someone who is very hard working and fair, impartial and experienced in this area of the law."

Wilson grew up in Los Angeles and started his law career in Florida, but had strong family ties to New Mexico prior to his arrival about 14 years ago. "My father was born in Las Vegas (N.M.) and my grandparents are from Las Vegas," he said when he was named judge last fall. "I've been coming here since I was a child and my parents retired in New Mexico."

He notes that he got the gubernatorial appointment to the bench, saying, "I passed a rigorous interview and selection process conducted by the bipartisan Judicial Nominating Commission," which submits judicial nominees to the governor.

Thomson served as judge

Thomson, 46, and now in private practice, has served as District Court judge before. He was appointed in 2010 by former Gov. Bill Richardson but lost in the Democratic primary election to Glenn Ellington, who continues on the bench.

Thomson has been a deputy state attorney general, a law clerk to U.S. federal judge Bruce Black and a legislative aide for former U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman. He stresses that he and his wife grew up in New Mexico and understand its communities.

"I have the best breadth and depth of legal experience," said Thomson. And he said being born in Santa Fe "gives me the unique view on the challenges that face our community."

As an example, Thomson said he tried a case for the Attorney General's Office to open public access to Colfax County'sWhite Peak area, long prime hunting habitat for area sportsmen.

"It's my view that the trial judge would have benefited from an understanding of a history of the community that used it for generations to hunt and gather wood, and for recreation," he said. "So ... it benefits a judge not only to have a keen legal understanding, but also to have an understanding of the community he or she serves."

He also notes that he litigated opposition to Gov. Susana Martinez's election redistricting plan after the 2010 census. "On this case, it was essential that the judge understood the communities and the impact that redistricting would have had on them," he says.

Challenges particular to the 1st Judicial District require judges "that have a broad experience in the law," he said. A judge may have to confront issues ranging from family law to land use and "because Santa Fe is the center of state government, you hear a lot of cases involving administrative appeals, and cases involving state officials and state government."

Regarding the drug problem, he said: "One of the roles of the judicial system certainly is punitive so those who commit serious drug offenses need to answer to the law and be held accountable." But he also said he would promote a well-funded drug court program, where offenders often are given a chance to get straight to avoid jail time.

"Successfully graduating from drug court would not solve the drug issue but it would lower the property crimes in that community. I would support it for first- and small-time offenders. It benefits the counties to support a robust drug court program."

"It's difficult for voters to engage in judicial races," he said. "It's a big deal." He urged voters to look at judicial races just as they would legislative races and that "they look for the individual with the broadest experience."

Espanola attorney

Quintana, 46, is in private practice. She only had a few minutes to talk when contacted by the Journal and did not respond to the newspaper's requests to complete a candidate questionnaire.

According to her website, she has 18 years' experience practicing law in magistrate, municipal, district, tribal and federal courts around New Mexico. Quintana has handled a variety of cases, including family law, civil law, personal injury, elder and probate law, and estate planning.

Aspiring to the being a trial judge is "a natural progression of my career," said Quintana. She also emphasized that she has done pro bono work for clients. "I have made sure services are available to individuals who may not have a fair shake in the courtroom," she said. She ran unsuccessfully against sate District Court Judge Sheri Raphaelson in 2010.

That same year, she was embroiled in a legal controversy, as outlined in articles in the Rio Grande Sun newspaper. According to those articles, Quintana married school bus contractor Antonio Garcia after divorcing former Espanola planning director Marvin Vigil eight months before. Garcia died less than a month after the marriage.

Litigation ended in a settlement after Garcia's sisters alleged the marriage was a sham, and that Quintana had persuaded Garcia to marry her so that she and her children would get his assets, including bus companies and land. Quintana told the Journal then that the Sun's articles took her situation "out of context" and that she married Garcia "because he made me laugh, smile, made me feel beautiful."

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