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Judith Nakamura
Judith Nakamura is a former justice on the New Mexico Supreme Court. She served from 2015 to 2020. Governor Susana Martinez (R) appointed Nakamura to the court on November 12, 2015, to fill the vacancy created by Justice Richard Bosson's retirement on October 30, 2015.[1] New Mexico state law requires supreme court justices appointed by the governor to successfully run for a partisan election in the next election cycle in order to remain on the court. Nakamura was elected on November 8, 2016, to the unexpired term of her predecessor. Nakamura served as chief justice from 2017 to 2020. She retired on December 1, 2020.[2] To learn more about this retirement, click here.
Education
Nakamura received her undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico and her J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law.[3]
Career
Prior to serving on the supreme court, Nakamura was a judge on the Second Judicial District Court of New Mexico. Governor Susana Martinez (R) appointed her to the court on January 10, 2013, to succeed the late Judge Bob Schwartz.[4] Nakamura was elected to the Second Judicial District Court in 2014 for a term that would have expired on December 31, 2020.[5]
Nakamura was the chief judge of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court prior to her appointment to the Second Judicial District. She also worked in private practice and for the State Land Office.[6]
Elections
2016
Nakamura ran as a Republican to finish the unexpired term of her predecessor on the New Mexico Supreme Court. Her opponent was Chief Judge Michael Vigil of the New Mexico Court of Appeals, who had also been a finalist in the selection process for Justice Richard Bosson's replacement.[7][8]
Election results
November 8 general election
| New Mexico Supreme Court, Nakamura's seat, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Judith Nakamura Incumbent |
52% | 396,303 | |
| Democrat | Michael Vigil | 48% | 365,790 | |
| Total Votes (1492 of 1492: 100%) | 762,093 | |||
| Source: New Mexico Secretary of State Official Results | ||||
June 7 primary
Results
| New Mexico Supreme Court 2016 Republican Primary, Nakamura's Seat, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Judith Nakamura Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 84,941 | |
| Total Votes (1492 of 1492: 100%) | 84,941 | |||
| Source: New Mexico Secretary of State Official Results | ||||
Record turnout
The voter turnout for the primary of June 7, 2016, set a record: at least 328,000 voters, or 34% of eligible voters, cast their ballots.[9]
2014
- See also: New Mexico judicial elections, 2014
Nakamura ran for re-election to the Second Judicial District Court.
Primary: She ran unopposed in the Republican primary on June 3, 2014.
General: She defeated John T. Grubesic in the general election on November 4, 2014, receiving 57.1% of the vote.[5][10]
Political affiliation
Only nine states hold partisan elections for their appellate courts. Other states hold nonpartisan elections or use a combination of appointments and retention elections.
Nonpartisan elections in some states require judges to declare their partisan affiliations; in other states, judges are not required to declare a political affiliation and in fact may be prohibited from doing so.
Ballotpedia collects information about the political and ideological leanings of judges to offer better context for court decisions.
Political contributions
Nakamura gave to a few Republican candidates prior to joining the New Mexico Supreme Court.[11][12][13]
| Year | Race | Candidate | Contribution | Won/Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | New Mexico Governor | Gary Johnson (R) | $50 | Won |
| 2000 | New Mexico House of Representatives | Pauline Gubbels (R) | $25 | Won |
| 2014 | New Mexico Second Judicial District Court | self | $408 | Won |
| 2014 | NA | Republican Party of Bernalillo County | $35 | NA |
Political donors
The following table includes the five organizations that donated the most to Nakamura's campaign for the New Mexico Second Judicial District Court in 2014, according to publicly available campaign finance information.[14]
| Donor | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Rachel Matthew Realty, LLC | $3,400 |
| Smoky Torgerson | $1,000 |
| Jalapeno Corporation | $500 |
| Jane Powdrell-Culbert Corporation | $500 |
| Thompson Consulting LLC | $500 |
Noteworthy events
Supreme Court appointment dispute
Nakamura's appointment was disputed in a lawsuit by lawyer Stuart Stein. Stein alleged that her nomination by the Judicial Nominating Commission violated the New Mexico Constitution because it took place while Justice Bosson was still on the bench. District Judge David Thomson ruled on December 1, 2015, that the nomination was constitutional. At the time of the decision, Nakamura was scheduled to be sworn in the following week.[15]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Matthew Reichbach, NM Political Report, "Martinez names Nakamura to fill Supreme Court vacancy," November 12, 2015
- ↑ KRQE, "Justice Judith Nakamura to retire Dec. 1," September 18, 2020
- ↑ Martindale.com, "Judith Nakamaura"
- ↑ KRWG, "Governor appoints 2 district court judges," January 11, 2013
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, "Canvass of Returns of General Election Held on November 4, 2014 - State of New Mexico," accessed December 2, 2020 (page 2)
- ↑ Vote Smart, "Judith Nakamura's Biography," accessed December 2, 2020
- ↑ Washington Times, "Candidates vie for secretary of state post after scandal," accessed February 3, 2016
- ↑ Santa Fe New Mexican, "Commission nominates four for New Mexico Supreme Court vacancy," accessed February 3, 2016
- ↑ Santa Fe New Mexican, "Voter turnout at N.M. primary election breaks record," June 28, 2016
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "UNOFFICIAL RESULTS Primary Election 2014 District Judges," June 4, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Judith Nakamura," accessed June 17, 2016
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Judith Nakamura," accessed June 17, 2016
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Judith Nakamura," accessed June 17, 2016
- ↑ [{1|gro=d-id Follow the Money, "Judith Nakamura," accessed August 24, 2016
- ↑ Phaedra Haywood, Santa Fe New Mexican, "Judge: Nakamura’s Supreme Court appointment was constitutional," December 3, 2015
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of New Mexico • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of New Mexico
State courts:
New Mexico Supreme Court • New Mexico Court of Appeals • New Mexico District Courts • New Mexico Magistrate Court • New Mexico Municipal Courts • New Mexico Probate Courts • New Mexico Problem-Solving Courts • New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration Court • Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court
State resources:
Courts in New Mexico • New Mexico judicial elections • Judicial selection in New Mexico
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