Petra Jimenez Maes

Petra Jimenez Maes
Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court
In office 2012–2014
Associate Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court
In office December 3, 1998 – December 31, 2018
Preceded by	Dan A. McKinnon
Succeeded by	David K. Thomson
Personal details
Born	(1947-10-05) October 5, 1947 (age 77) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Alma mater	University of New Mexico (BA, JD)

Petra Jimenez Maes (born October 5, 1947) is a former chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court. She was appointed to the New Mexico Supreme Court in 1998, and was the first female Hispanic person to serve on the high court. She was elected Chief Justice for the court twice, once in 2003 and again in 2012.[1]

Petra Jimenez Maes grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her grandparents came from Mexico, and Maes spoke Spanish as a young child.[2] Maes received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Mexico and a Juris Doctor from University of New Mexico School of Law. Maes was a state district judge in Santa Fe for 17 years before joining the state Supreme Court.[3]

Maes defeated incumbent Justice Dan A. McKinnon III to win the Democratic primary for a seat on the court in June 1998.[4] She retired from active service on December 31, 2018.

See also

• List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists

References

1. "Biography". Retrieved September 4, 2013.
2. Baker, Deborah (November 3, 2012). "Breaking Barriers". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
3. Chavez, Barbara (February 9, 2003). "Women Breaking Courts' Glass Ceilings–Slowly". Women's eNews. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
4. "Santa Fe judge gets Dem nod to high court", The Santa Fe New Mexican (June 3, 1998), p. 5.