--- title: "Thomas E. Lilley | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/thomas-e-lilley-district-court-judge-fifth-judicial-district-court-nm" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Thomas E. Lilley Fifth Judicial District Court · District Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Fifth 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 - Current and active judge in New Mexico’s Fifth Judicial District, Division 2, with a term lasting until the end of 2026 - District Court Judge for New Mexico’s Fifth Judicial District, Division 2, a position he has held since 2019 - Judge Lilley has a professional background in law and has contributed to the legal field through his work on the district court bench - His decisions contribute to the administration of justice in New Mexico and impact the local community through the resolution of legal disputes ### Education - Law degree — University of New Mexico — 1983 ### Additional information - Roswell private practice, primarily personal injury, from 1986. - As a district court judge, Thomas E. Lilley oversees a wide range of cases, including civil disputes, criminal prosecutions, and other matters under the jurisdiction of the Fifth Judicial District. - He has been involved in managing a growing caseload in Eddy County and continues to serve the community through his judicial duties ## 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://fifthdistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/judges/district-judges) - [Official roster](https://fifthdistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/judges/district-judges) - [New Mexico Courts official judicial roster](https://fifthdistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/judges/district-judges) - [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) - [www.governor.nm.gov](https://www.governor.nm.gov/2019/04/25/gov-lujan-grisham-makes-pair-of-judicial-appointments) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/thomas-e-lilley-district-court-judge-fifth-judicial-district-court-nm", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/thomas-e-lilley-district-court-judge-fifth-judicial-district-court-nm", "name": "Thomas E. Lilley | KnowJudges", "description": "Thomas E. Lilley, Fifth Judicial District Court. 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