---
title: "Stephen M. Wayne | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/stephen-m-wayne-eleventh-judicial-district-court-nm"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-07"
---

# Stephen M. Wayne

Eleventh Judicial District Court · District Court Judge

## Profile

- Court: Eleventh Judicial District Court
- State: New Mexico
- Role: District Court Judge
- Service status: active

## Summary

Stephen M. Wayne — Eleventh Judicial District Court

## Biography

### Professional career


### Education

- Wayne State University Law School — The appointment release identifies him as a graduate; it does not specify the degree or year.

### Additional information

- Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed him to the Eleventh Judicial District vacancy created by Karen L. Townsend’s retirement, with service beginning May 25, 2024.
- Spent almost three years prosecuting child abuse and neglect cases as a Children’s Court Attorney for the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department.
- Later practiced at Patscheck Law, P.C., in Farmington
- representing Indigenous criminal defendants.
- Public court listings show Judge Wayne presiding over various criminal matters in Aztec, NM, including sentencing, probation violation hearings, and status conferences

## Sources

- [eleventhdistrict.nmcourts.gov](https://eleventhdistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/district-courts/san-juan-county-aztec-farmington-district-court/)
- [ltgov.nm.gov](https://ltgov.nm.gov/newsroom/release-governor-announces-11th-judicial-district-court-appointment-100000518)

## JSON-LD

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": "WebPage",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/stephen-m-wayne-eleventh-judicial-district-court-nm",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/stephen-m-wayne-eleventh-judicial-district-court-nm",
      "name": "Stephen M. Wayne | KnowJudges",
      "description": "Stephen M. Wayne, Eleventh Judicial District Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.",
      "dateModified": "2026-10-07",
      "isPartOf": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website"
      },
      "mainEntity": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/stephen-m-wayne-eleventh-judicial-district-court-nm#judge"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/stephen-m-wayne-eleventh-judicial-district-court-nm#judge",
      "name": "Stephen M. Wayne",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/stephen-m-wayne-eleventh-judicial-district-court-nm",
      "jobTitle": "District Court Judge",
      "worksFor": {
        "@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
        "name": "Eleventh Judicial District Court"
      },
      "sameAs": [],
      "alumniOf": [
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
          "name": "Wayne State University"
        },
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
          "name": "Wayne State University Law School"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
      "itemListElement": [
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 1,
          "name": "KnowJudges",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 2,
          "name": "New Mexico",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/new-mexico"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 3,
          "name": "Stephen M. Wayne",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/stephen-m-wayne-eleventh-judicial-district-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.