--- title: "David K. Thomson | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-k-thomson-justice-new-mexico-supreme-court-nm" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # David K. Thomson New Mexico Supreme Court · Justice ## Profile - Court: New Mexico Supreme Court - State: New Mexico - Role: Justice - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-08-22 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - held the role of Chief Justice: April 17, 2024 – April 8, 2026 - First appointed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2019 and later elected by his colleagues to serve a two‐year term as Chief Justice beginning in April 2024 - Sworn in as justice: February 4, 2019 - David K. Thomson took the oath as a New Mexico Supreme Court justice on February 4, 2019 - Joined the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office in 1999, later serving as deputy attorney general until 2010, and subsequently practiced on his own - Clerked for Judge Bruce D. Black, U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico ### Education - University of Denver — J.D. (1998) - Degree in economics and government from Wesleyan University. ### Additional information - The American Law Institute biography places his earlier First Judicial District trial-court service from 2015, covering Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Los Alamos counties. - After working for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, he graduated from the University of Denver law school in 1998 and clerked for U.S. District Judge Bruce D. Black. - American jurist serving on the New Mexico Supreme Court. - Born and raised in Santa Fe, he graduated from Santa Fe High School - His professional service includes civil jury instructions, court performance measures, guardianship reform and teaching legal education. - Birth place: Santa Fe ## 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://supremecourt.nmcourts.gov/about-this-court/supreme-court-justices/) - [Official roster](https://supremecourt.nmcourts.gov/about-this-court/supreme-court-justices/) - [New Mexico Courts official judicial roster](https://supremecourt.nmcourts.gov/about-this-court/supreme-court-justices/) - [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) - [Wikidata: David K. Thomson](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61730065) - [supremecourt.nmcourts.gov](https://supremecourt.nmcourts.gov/about-this-court/supreme-court-justices/) - [Wikidata: David K. Thomson](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61730065) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-k-thomson-justice-new-mexico-supreme-court-nm", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-k-thomson-justice-new-mexico-supreme-court-nm", "name": "David K. Thomson | KnowJudges", "description": "David K. Thomson, New Mexico Supreme Court. 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Thomson", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-k-thomson-justice-new-mexico-supreme-court-nm" } ] } ] } ``` ## 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.