---
title: "Cindy Leos | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/cindy-leos-district-court-judge-second-judicial-district-court-nm"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-07"
---

# Cindy Leos

Second Judicial District Court · District Court Judge

## Profile

- Court: Second Judicial District Court
- State: New Mexico
- Role: District Court Judge
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-07-26

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## Biography

### Professional career

- Her earlier career encompassed private practice, child protective services legal work and felony attorney and supervisory roles with New Mexico’s Law Offices of the Public Defender

### Education


### Additional information

- Re-elected through retention elections in 2020 and 2024, receiving 70.3% and 65.6% of the vote respectively
- The overview also reports Albuquerque Bar Association Outstanding Judge of the Year recognition in 2019.
- The official court biography confirms that she helped create the Young Adult Court in 2017 and presides over that program.
- Elected November 8, 2016, to Division IX; helped establish Young Adult Court in 2017 and presides over it.
- District judicial service recorded from November 2016.
- Elected to the Second Judicial District Court, Division IX, in 2016 after defeating incumbent David Williams in the general election
- Cindy A. Leos was elected November 8, 2016, to Division IX of New Mexico’s Second Judicial District Court.
- The collected biographical information identifies a University of Colorado Boulder sociology B.A. in 1997, Chicago-Kent law degree in 2002, Illinois bar admission in 2002 and New Mexico admission in 2003.
- Children’s Court attorney for Child Protective Services

## Before you appear

- Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.
- Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.
- Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

## Courtroom Rules

### media electronic device coverage

Scope: statewide

New Mexico Rule 23-107 authorizes broadcasting, televising, photographing, and recording in state court proceedings subject to the rule's guidelines and judicial control.

Evidence excerpt: The broadcasting, televising, photographing, and recording of court proceedings in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, district courts, magistrate courts, and metropolitan courts of the State of New Mexico are hereby authorized in accordance with the guidelines promulgated herewith.

[Rule 23-107. Broadcasting, televising, photographing and recording of court proceedings](https://nmcourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Rule-23-107-12-20-2018.pdf)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### remote proceedings conduct

Scope: statewide

New Mexico Judiciary remote-proceedings standards treat virtual courtrooms as formal courtroom settings and impose conduct expectations for remote participants.

Evidence excerpt: The courtroom, whether a physical in-person courtroom, or a virtual courtroom, remains a formal and serious setting where judges hear matters involving real people that affect real lives.

[New Mexico Judiciary Remote Proceedings and Meeting Standards](https://firstdistrict.nmcourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/04/NEW-MEXICO-JUDICIARY-REMOTE-PROCEEDINGS-AND-MEETING-STANDARDS.pdf)
Source checked: 2026-07-26


## Sources

- [Official profile](https://seconddistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/judges/judges-directory)
- [Official roster](https://seconddistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/judges/judges-directory)
- [New Mexico Courts official judicial roster](https://seconddistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/judges/judges-directory)
- [Rule 23-107. Broadcasting, televising, photographing and recording of court proceedings](https://nmcourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Rule-23-107-12-20-2018.pdf)
- [New Mexico Judiciary Remote Proceedings and Meeting Standards](https://firstdistrict.nmcourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/04/NEW-MEXICO-JUDICIARY-REMOTE-PROCEEDINGS-AND-MEETING-STANDARDS.pdf)
- [seconddistrict.nmcourts.gov](https://seconddistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/judges/judges-directory/)
- [seconddistrict.nmcourts.gov](https://seconddistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/judges/criminal-court-judges/)

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## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [New Mexico Rule 23-107 — media coverage](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-16ed52dd2958e6571bf2469d) — 2018 dated rule; not extended to Municipal Courts. Media coverage exceptions and judicial control apply. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://nmcourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Rule-23-107-12-20-2018.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.
