Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jennifer L. Attrep takes the oath of office from outgoing Chief Judge J. Miles Hanisee. Courtesy/Court of Appeals

COURT:

SANTA FE — Judge Jennifer L. Attrep grew up in Los Alamos and just became the new chief judge of the New Mexico Court of Appeals.

She was sworn in Tuesday, having been elected chief judge by her colleagues on the 10-member court to a term expiring in January 2025. She succeeds Judge J. Miles Hanisee, who had served as Chief Judge since October 2019.

In addition to performing court duties hearing cases, the chief judge serves as the administrative authority over personnel, budgets and general operations of the Court of Appeals. 

“My focus will be attaining sufficient resources and examining our court processes to reduce the time it takes to resolve appeals so the court can better serve the public,” Chief Judge Attrep said.

Chief Judge Attrep was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2018, after serving on the First Judicial District Court. She received a bachelor’s degree in economics and government from the College of Williams & Mary and a juris doctor degree in 2006 from the University of Virginia School of Law. She served as a law clerk for Judge Richard J. Leon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She worked in private practice in Washington, D.C. and in Santa Fe before joining the district court. 

The Court of Appeals is the first and often final appellate court for most case types. The court has mandatory jurisdiction in all civil, non-capital and juvenile cases appealed from trial courts and discretionary jurisdiction over most appeals from administrative agencies. The court acts in three-judge panels and at least two judges must agree to decide a case.