SANTA FE – Chief Justice David K. Thomson urged the Legislature today to provide funding to upgrade court security and technology, cover the costs of jury trials and improve employee pay to lessen turnover in court staff.
In his State of the Judiciary address to a joint session of the Legislature, the Chief Justice stressed the need for adequate funding for state courts to carry out their essential day-to-day functions of resolving civil and criminal cases. State courts in New Mexico heard about 354,000 cases in the most recent fiscal year.
“The overwhelming majority of individuals seeking justice through the courts seek justice in state courts,” Chief Justice Thomson said in his prepared remarks. “Above all else, when you enter these doors, it is our obligation to bring a just resolution of these cases in a timely manner, with no prejudice toward status or position, applying reasoned and reliable facts to the rule of law.”
The Judiciary’s top budget priority, the Chief Justice explained, is $14 million to improve the pay of employees such as court clerks. Judicial workers in the lowest pay range currently receive nearly 25 percent less than employees in comparable job classifications in executive branch agencies.
The requested money for employee compensation is necessary “to level the field so the Judicial Branch can reduce costly turnover and more efficiently maintain our workforce,” the Chief Justice said.
The Judiciary also is requesting:
· An additional $2.2 million in recurring funding in the next fiscal year to pay for jurors. Without that increase, courts could run out of money for jury trials. District, magistrate and metropolitan courts conducted about 740 jury trials in the 2024 fiscal year.
· A one-time allocation of $25 million to pay for security upgrades at courthouses over six years. The Chief Justice noted that courts in Farmington closed for several days last week after a man threatened to kill a judge. “The security funding we ask for is also to keep our citizens safe,” he said.
· $3.5 million for monitoring criminal defendants who wear electronic location tracking devices while awaiting trial and to expand pretrial justice services in four additional judicial districts covering 12 counties.
· $3 million for technology, including improvements for cybersecurity, email systems and internet connectivity.
· $40 million to implement a new speech-to-text system in courtrooms to provide real-time accurate transcripts of hearings and trials. Courtroom audio and video equipment must be upgraded for the speech-to-text system, which will help judges and justice partners work more efficiently in resolving cases.
The Chief Justice outlined the Judiciary’s recent accomplishments, including implementing competency diversion pilot programs last year to help individuals with a history of mental illness when they are arrested for misdemeanors. The programs in three judicial districts divert people from the justice system and connect them to needed community-based treatment and support services. A fourth pilot program is expected to begin operating this year.
Chief Justice Thomson also announced the start of an assisted outpatient treatment program in the First Judicial District, which covers Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties. The program will provide for treatment under a civil court order for people struggling with mental illness. The Second Judicial District Court also is relaunching an assisted outpatient treatment program.
“The Judiciary does not sleep on the Courts’ work as a community problem-solver,” Chief Justice Thomson said. “Courts have a front row seat for the many challenges facing our local communities, and work every day to help address these issues with innovative solutions like eviction diversion programs, guardianship programs, specialized dockets for veterans, mental health initiatives and rural justice initiatives.”
