Doña Ana County Manager Julia T. Brown has announced the hiring of former Magistrate Judge Nelson J. Goodin as Doña Ana County Attorney. He will begin work Monday, June 29, at an annual salary of $90,000.
Goodin replaces former Doña Ana County Attorney John W. Caldwell, who left to take a similar position in Lea County late last year. Deputy County Attorney Dave Medeiros has served as Interim County Attorney while a search for a permanent replacement was underway.
Goodin was on the bench at Magistrate Court from December of 2013 through December of 2014. Prior to that, he was chief legal counsel for the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. He also served briefly in 2012 as a Third Judicial District Judge appointed by New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, and he served 11 years in the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
A 1999 graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law, he is licensed to practice law in New Mexico, California and before the United States Tax Court. He also holds a master’s degree in tax law from California Western School of Law. He has a dual-major bachelor’s degree in Portuguese and international relations from Brigham Young University. He graduated high school in 1983 from Reserve High School in Catron County.
“We’re excited to bring Mr. Goodin on board to lead the Doña Ana County Attorney’s Office,” Brown said. “Dave Medeiros did a great job for us while the search was underway, and he was a formidable candidate for the top job. I’m confident that they can work effectively together with the rest of the county attorney’s office staff to meet Doña Ana County’s legal needs for the foreseeable future.”
As county attorney, Goodin will report directly to Brown, and he will offer advice to the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners in open meetings, closed sessions and legal negotiations with outside parties, entities and agencies.