Kevin R. Sweazea

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Kevin R. Sweazea

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Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
Tenure

2017 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

7

Prior offices
New Mexico 7th Judicial District Court
Elections and appointments
Appointed

May 3, 2017

Education

Bachelor's

New Mexico State University, 1985

Law

Baylor University Law School, 1988


Kevin R. Sweazea is a federal magistrate judge on the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. He was appointed to the court on May 3, 2017, for an eight-year term.[1]

On June 12, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Sweazea to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. In October 2019, Sweazea withdrew his name from consideration following withdrawal of support from his home-state senators. Click here for more information on Sweazea's federal judicial nomination.

The United States District Court for the District of New Mexico is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Before becoming a federal magistrate judge in 2017, Sweazea was a district court judge in the Seventh Judicial District of New Mexico.[2] He was appointed to the bench in February 2001. He was elected in November 2002 and retained in 2008 and 2014.[3][4]

Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections

United States District Court for the District of New Mexico (2019)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On June 12, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Sweazea to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
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Nominee Information
Name: Kevin R. Sweazea
Court: United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
Progress
Withdrawn 139 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: June 12, 2019
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire:
DefeatedAHearing:
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
DefeatedAReported:  
DefeatedAConfirmed:
DefeatedAWithdrawn: October 29, 2019

Withdrawal

In October 2019, Sweazea withdrew his name from consideration. In a letter to the White House, Sweazea said he was withdrawing because of a change in support from home-state Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, both Democrats. The senators, who submitted Sweazea's name to the president on a list of approved potential nominees, told Sweazea they no longer supported his nomination because his "confirmation would face serious hurdles in the Senate."[5]

Nomination

On May 29, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Sweazea to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.[6] The U.S. Senate received the nomination on June 12, 2019.[7]

Sweazea was nominated to replace Judge Robert Brack, who assumed senior status] on July 25, 2018.[7]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Sweazea well qualified for the position.[8] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

United States District Court for the District of New Mexico (2017-present)

Sweazea became a federal magistrate judge on the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico in 2017. The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico appointed Sweazea to the position on May 3, 2017.[1]

New Mexico Seventh Judicial District Court (2001-2017)

Sweazea was a district court judge in the Seventh Judicial District of New Mexico from 2001 to 2017.[9] Gov. Gary Johnson appointed Sweazea to the court in February 2001. Sweazea was elected without opposition in November 2002. He was retained in 2008 and 2014.[1]

Sweazea served as chief judge of the court from 2005 to 2015.[1]

2014 election

See also: New Mexico judicial elections, 2014

Sweazea was retained to the 7th District Court with 76.0 percent of the vote on November 4, 2014.[4] 

Judicial performance evaluation

The New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission recommended that Judge Sweazea be retained. The full report is available here.

Education

Sweazea earned his undergraduate degree from New Mexico State University in 1985 and his J.D. from Baylor University Law School in 1988.[1]

Professional career

Sweazea also served as contract attorney for various municipalities and county commission boards.

  • 1997-2001: New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board
  • 1996-2000: Socorro County Land Use Commission[3][1]

About the court

District of New Mexico
Tenth Circuit
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Judgeships
Posts: 7
Judges: 7
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: William P. Johnson
Active judges: James O. Browning, Matthew Garcia, Kenneth John Gonzales, David Herrera Urias, William P. Johnson, Kea Riggs, Margaret Strickland

Senior judges:
Christina Armijo, Robert Brack, Curtis Hansen, Judith Herrera, Martha Vazquez


The United States District Court for the District of New Mexico is one of 94 United States district courts. The district operates out of courtrooms in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, and Roswell, N.M. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit based in downtown Denver, Colorado at the Byron White Federal Courthouse.

The District of New Mexico has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The jurisdiction of the District of New Mexico consists of all the counties in the state of New Mexico.

Court is held in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Roswell, Santa Fe, and Silver City.

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

  • The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
  • The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
  • As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
  • After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
  • If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
  • If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
  • The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
  • If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
  • If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, "The Honorable Kevin Sweazea appointed as U.S. Magistrate Judge," May 3, 2017
  2. ↑ 7th Judicial District Court, "Judges"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, "Kevin R. Sweazea Judicial Evaluation 2008"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, "2014 Primary Candidate List"
  5. ↑ Albuquerque Journal, "Judge withdraws name from consideration for federal job," October 29, 2019
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees and United States Marshal Nominee," May 29, 2019
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Congress.gov, "PN856 — Kevin Ray Sweazea — The Judiciary," accessed October 30, 2019
  8. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees," accessed October 30, 2019
  9. ↑ 7th Judicial District Court, "Judges"


New Mexico courts

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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