Kea W. Riggs
Kea W. Riggs | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico | |
| Assumed office December 31, 2019 | |
| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | M. Christina Armijo |
| Judge of the Fifth Judicial District Court of New Mexico | |
| In office August 8, 2014 – December 31, 2019 | |
| Appointed by | Susana Martinez |
| Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico | |
| In office April 13, 2001 – August 8, 2014 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kea Lynn Whetzal 1965 (age 58–59) Midwest City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Education | University of Oklahoma (BBA) University of Oklahoma College of Law (JD) |
Kea Whetzal Riggs (born 1965) is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico and a former Judge of the Fifth Judicial District Court of New Mexico.
Education
Riggs earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma and her Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.[1]
Legal career
She was in private practice with Sanders, Bruin, Coll, & Worley in Roswell, New Mexico, and served the State of New Mexico as a senior trial prosecutor, children's court attorney, and Assistant District Attorney.[1]
State court service
She was appointed a Judge of the Fifth Judicial District Court of New Mexico by Governor Susana Martinez on August 8, 2014.[1] Her service on the state district court, which covers the southeastern corner of the state[2] terminated on December 31, 2019, when she received her commission as a federal judge.
Federal judicial service
United States magistrate judge
Riggs was appointed to the bench as a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of New Mexico on April 13, 2001.[3][4]
District court service
On May 3, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Riggs to serve as a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. On May 13, 2019, her nomination was sent to the Senate to the seat vacated by Judge M. Christina Armijo, who took senior status on February 7, 2018.[5] On June 26, 2019, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[6] On July 18, 2019, her nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote.[7] On December 18, 2019, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a vote of 92–1.[8] On December 19, 2019, her nomination was confirmed by a vote of 94–0.[9] She received her judicial commission on December 31, 2019 and was sworn in by Senior Judge Bobby Ray Baldock later that day.[10]
Teaching
She was an adjunct professor at Eastern New Mexico State University–Roswell during the periods of 2001–2002, 2008–2009 and 2012–2014. She was adjunct professor at New Mexico Highlands University–Roswell from 2006–2009 and in 2011.[10]
Personal life
She is married to Stanton Riggs, also an attorney. They have two children.[3]
References
- ^ a b c "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees, United States Attorney Nominee, and United States Marshal Nominees" White House, May 3, 2019
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Template:Https://ballotpedia.org/New Mexico Fifth Judicial District Court
- ^ a b Kea W. Riggs Biographical Information
- ^ "Magistrate Judges District of New Mexico". Tenth Circuit Historical Society. Retrieved 2019-05-04.
- ^ "Twelve Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, May 13, 2019
- ^ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for June 26, 2019
- ^ Results of Executive Business Meeting – July 18, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee
- ^ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 116th Congress – 1st Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
- ^ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 116th Congress - 1st Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
- ^ a b "Judge Kea Riggs Fills a Vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico". www.nmd.uscourts.gov. Albuquerque, New Mexico: United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. December 31, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
External links
- Kea W. Riggs at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
- Kea Riggs at Ballotpedia
- 1965 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American lawyers
- 21st-century American lawyers
- 21st-century American judges
- American women judges
- American women lawyers
- Eastern New Mexico University faculty
- Judges of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
- New Mexico Highlands University faculty
- New Mexico state court judges
- People from Midwest City, Oklahoma
- United States district court judges appointed by Donald Trump
- United States magistrate judges
- University of Oklahoma alumni
- University of Oklahoma College of Law alumni