N.M. Ct. App. Policies & Procedures Manual II

A. The Court shall employ a chief clerk and other necessary employees to

serve at the pleasure of the Court. NMSA 1978, § 34-5-5 (1966).

B. Each individual judge, the chief appellate attorney, the chief clerk, and

the reporter of decisions shall, subject to the Personnel Rules, have the

authority to hire and dismiss the employees that serve as their staff.

C. The chief clerk shall arrange for new Court personnel to attend

orientation provided by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).

D. Job performance evaluations of classified employees shall be

performed at least annually in compliance with the Personnel Rules and

instructions from the Director of AOC.

E. The Court’s chief clerk, chief appellate attorney, and reporter of

decisions shall be evaluated at least every other year or more often

when deemed appropriate by the chief judge or majority vote of the

judges using a procedure and forms approved by a majority of the

judges, pursuant to the policy on at-will employee evaluations.

F. Each judge shall determine their own vacation schedule. Each

individual judge, the chief appellate attorney, the chief clerk, and the

reporter of decisions shall be responsible for approving the vacation

schedule and any leave for their staff; supervising and managing the

attendance, punctuality, and work hours of their staff; and in

accordance with Department of Finance and Administration’s (DFA)

pay schedule, approving time sheets reflecting attendance and absences

of their staff through the Statewide Human Resources Accounting

Report (SHARE) system.

G. Judges shall send a notification e-mail to circulating opinions list and

post on the Court calendar, at least a week in advance, any anticipated

period of leave in excess of two consecutive working days.

H. The promotion, demotion, and awarding of raises or benefits shall be in

accordance with the New Mexico Judicial Branch (NMJB) Personnel

Rules for Classified or At-Will Employees.

I. Subject to availability of funds, it shall be the policy of the Court to

encourage staff training and career improvement.

J. Upon the conclusion of a law clerk’s employment for a judge, the judge

shall hire a replacement law clerk as soon as the judge is able to do so,

unless otherwise restricted by the Court’s budget.