N.M. Const. art. VI, § 8
No person shall be qualified to hold the office of justice of the supreme court unless that person is at least thirty-five years old and has been in the actual practice of law for at least ten years preceding that person's assumption of office and has resided in this state for at least three years immediately preceding that person's assumption of office. The actual practice of law shall include a lawyer's service upon the bench of any court of this state. The increased qualifications provided by this 1988 amendment shall not apply to justices and judges serving at the time this amendment passes or elected at the general election in 1988. (As amended November 8, 1988.)
The 1988 amendment, which was proposed by S.J.R. No. 1, § 1 (Laws 1988) and adopted at the general election held on November 8, 1988, by a vote of 203,509 for and 159,957 against, rewrote this section to the extent that a detailed comparison would be impracticable. For former provisions, see Original Pamphlet.
Cross references. — For ineligibility of supreme court justice to be nominated or elected to nonjudicial office, see N.M. Const., art. VI, § 19.
For qualifications for holding office, see N.M. Const., art. VII, § 2.
Comparable provisions. — Montana Const., art. VII, § 9.
Utah Const., art. VIII, § 7.
Wyoming Const., art. V, § 8.
Requirements. — The qualified judge must be practicing law and residing in New Mexico immediately prior to taking office and he must have been doing so for at least the preceding three (now 10) years. Hannett v. Jones, 1986-NMSC-047, 104 N.M. 392, 722 P.2d 643.
Law reviews. — For survey, "Article VII of the New Probate Code: In Pursuit of Uniform Trust Administration," see 6 N.M. L. Rev. 213 (1976).
Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 46 Am. Jur. 2d Judges § 6 et seq.
Incompatibility of office of judge and office in the military service, 26 A.L.R. 143, 132 A.L.R. 254, 147 A.L.R. 1419, 148 A.L.R. 1399, 150 A.L.R. 1444.
Eligibility to office of judge of one who was not an attorney, 50 A.L.R. 1156.
Right of party in course of litigation to challenge eligibility of judge, 144 A.L.R. 1207.
Power to appoint public officer for term commencing at or after expiration of term of appointing officer or body, 75 A.L.R.2d 1277.
Validity and construction of constitutional or statutory provision making legal knowledge a condition of eligibility for judicial office, 71 A.L.R.3d 498.
48A C.J.S. Judges §§ 15 to 18.