Biographical Profile:

Honorable Petra Jimenez Maes

The Honorable Petra Jimenez Maes graduated from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico (1970). Justice Maes was one of the first two Hispanic Women to graduate from the University of New Mexico Law School (1973). She was in private practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico until 1975 when she went to work for Northern New Mexico Legal Services. In 1981 she was appointed to the First Judicial District Court by Governor Bruce King. Her seventeen years as a district judge included Judicial assignments of four years in the Criminal Division; six years in the Family Division; and seven years in the Civil Division. In addition to her other case assignments, Judge Maes served as the Children's Court Judge for twelve years. She was elected Chief Judge for two terms. In November 1998 she was elected to the New Mexico Supreme Court and then was retained in November 2002 for an eight-year term. On January 8, 2003 she was designated by unanimous vote of her colleagues to serve as Chief Justice, thus becoming the first Latina/Hispanic Woman Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court. She has four children, Joshua, Azalea, Immanuel and Celeste; and two granddaughters, Kadyn and Marisa.