Grace B. Duran at a glance
- Current role
- District Court Judge
- Jurisdiction
- New Mexico · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Grace B. Duran
District Court Judge · Third Judicial District Court
Biography
Professional career
- District judge in Las Cruces in New Mexico’s Third Judicial District
- Early career: held the role of child support hearing officer and domestic violence commissioner for the 3rd Judicial District, helping establish the court’s mediation program
- State district judge for the 3rd Judicial District Court of New Mexico, presiding over child abuse/neglect, adoption, domestic relations, and juvenile delinquency cases in Doña Ana County
Education
- Undergraduate degree — University of New Mexico
- A southern New Mexico native, she graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law.
Additional information
- A 2022 report based on a court news release identifies her as the first woman elected to that district bench and a recipient of the State Bar’s Outstanding Judicial Service Award.
- District service 1996–May 2005 and again from January 2019.
- handling child abuse and neglect, adoption, juvenile delinquency and domestic relations cases.
- Judge Duran serves in Division VIII, Courtroom 4 of the 3rd Judicial District Court, which covers Doña Ana County, including Las Cruces.
- Before becoming a district judge, she was the district’s first child support hearing officer and domestic violence commissioner and helped establish its mediation program.
- During her second judicial term she was selected as a special assistant U.S. attorney for Puerto Rico.
- Her earlier private practice focused on family law, in which she held specialist certification.
- Judge Duran is a recipient of the Outstanding Judicial Service Award from the State Bar of New Mexico
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Media Electronic Device Coverage
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.
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 ↗
Remote appearances
Statewide
New Mexico Judiciary remote-proceedings standards treat virtual courtrooms as formal courtroom settings and impose conduct expectations for remote participants.
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 ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
New Mexico Rule 23-107 — media coverage
Third Judicial District Court
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 ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 26, 2026.
New Mexico Courts official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View New Mexico Courts official judicial roster ↗Rule 23-107. Broadcasting, televising, photographing and recording of court proceedings
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Rule 23-107. Broadcasting, televising, photographing and recording of court proceedings ↗New Mexico Judiciary Remote Proceedings and Meeting Standards
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View New Mexico Judiciary Remote Proceedings and Meeting Standards ↗