Edward L. Chávez (born October 15, 1957) is a former justice and chief justice of the

New Mexico Supreme Court The New Mexico Supreme Court () is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is established and its powers defined by Article VI of the New Mexico Constitution. It is primarily an appellate court which reviews civil and criminal ...

. Chávez was born in Santa Fe. He was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor

Bill Richardson William Blaine Richardson III (November 15, 1947 – September 1, 2023) was an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the List of governors of New Mexico, 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was U.S. ambassador to ...

and served from March 10, 2003 to March 2018. Chávez graduated from

Eastern New Mexico University Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU or Eastern) is a public university with a main campus in Portales, New Mexico, and two associate degree-granting branches, one at Ruidoso and one at Roswell. ENMU is New Mexico's largest regional comprehensi ...

in 1978 with a B.B.A. degree. He earned his

Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...

in 1981 from the

University of New Mexico School of Law The University of New Mexico School of Law (UNM Law or New Mexico Law) is the law school of the University of New Mexico, a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. Founded in 1947, it is the only law school in the st ...

. Chávez has served as President of the Legal Aid Society of Albuquerque, Chairman of the UNM Mental Health Center and Chairman of the Supreme Court Disciplinary Board. In addition, he was a member of numerous civic and professional organizations. He has also taught at the

National Institute for Trial Advocacy The National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) is an American not-for-profit organization that provides lawyers with training in trial advocacy skills. NITA's founding was brought about in 1971 by the Committee on Advocacy of the Section on Ju ...

, and UNM School of Law as an Adjunct Instructor. Chávez is listed in Best Lawyers in America, and he is a Fellow in both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. On 19 December 2013 he wrote a unanimous opinion in Griego v. Oliver case (regarding same-sex marriages in New Mexico). He retired from the court in March 2018.

References

External links

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Official biography from the New Mexico Supreme Court
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chavez, Edward L. 1957 births Living people 21st-century American judges American judges of Cuban descent Chief justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court Eastern New Mexico University alumni Hispanic and Latino American judges Justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court New Mexico Democrats Politicians from Santa Fe, New Mexico University of New Mexico alumni

See also

References

External links