Melissa Miller-Byrnes, presiding judge for Las Cruces Municipal Court, officially announced today she will retire from the bench effective Nov. 1, 2015. She has served in that capacity for four consecutive terms.
“After 16 years of judicial service to the community, I have decided to hang up the judge’s robe,” Miller-Byrnes said. “Therefore, I will not seek re-election in the fall. In making the announcement, I would like to thank the staff for their professionalism and dedication in the administration of justice, particularly to the Las Cruces Municipal Court.”
Miller-Byrnes said she is proud of her record of service and what she has been able to accomplish during her tenure. “It has been a pleasure to work with City Manager Robert Garza, the mayor, the present members of City Council, as well as Police Chief Jaime Montoya, and City Attorney Rusty Babbington, all of whom respect the independence of the Municipal Court in its operations and management, and who also have an admirable understanding of the Municipal Court and its interdependence upon the other branches of City government for its finances and services,” she said.
Miller-Byrnes is a native New Mexican. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in government, with a minor in Spanish, from New Mexico State University in 1984. She earned her Juris Doctor from the William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, MN in 1987.
She began her legal career in 1989 as an assistant city attorney for Las Cruces, a position she held for 10 years. Six of those years she was the primary prosecutor in Municipal Court. She also represented the City of Las Cruces on cases appealed from the Municipal Court to the Third Judicial District Court.
In November 1999, Miller-Byrnes became the first female to be elected Presiding Municipal Court Judge in Las Cruces in a city-wide election.
In addition to presiding on the bench in the courtroom, Miller-Byrnes administers court operations with the assistance of the court manager. Administrative issues include setting policy, budget and personnel issues, and case flow management.
She was also Fellow of the Institute for Court Management through the National Center of State Courts 2006. NCSC is the educational arm of the Judiciary located in Virginia.