COURT News:

ROSWELL – The state Court of Appeals will conduct an oral argument before students in Roswell on May 1 as part of the national observance of Law Day.

A three-judge panel of the Court will hear attorneys present arguments in an appeal of a man’s conviction of a misdemeanor charge of resisting or obstructing an officer. The proceeding will take place at Goddard High School starting at 10 a.m. Judges will answer questions from students after the one-hour argument.

“Students develop a deeper understanding of the legal system by observing real courtroom proceedings firsthand,” said Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jacqueline R. Medina.

The panel of judges hearing the case in Roswell is made up of Judges Zachary A. Ives, Shammara H. Henderson, and Kristopher N. Houghton.

“This Law Day event will demonstrate for students the role an independent judiciary plays in interpreting and applying the law to resolve disputes in our society,” said Judge Henderson.

Law Day is celebrated annually on May 1, and honors America’s commitment to the rule of law — the principle that all individuals and institutions are accountable to laws and that the law applies equally to each person.

The case before the Court is City of Farmington v. A. Howell, A-1-CA-42673. The defendant, Adam Howell, operated a website called Press for Transparency and was filming a police traffic stop in 2023 in Farmington. Howell was arrested after police said he refused to comply with an order to move across the street. In his appeal, Howell contends that the officer’s order was unreasonable and he had a First Amendment right to film the traffic stop. Click here for the written legal briefs filed in the case.

“The Chaves County Bar Association is grateful to the New Mexico Court of Appeals for regularly bringing this opportunity to Roswell. Each year, students get to see the appellate process in action, which helps make the law more accessible and understandable,” said Jeff Grandjean, president of the association of attorneys in the county.