The State of New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission has reviewed and dismissed a complaint of judicial misconduct filed against Judge J.C. Robinson of the Sixth Judicial District Court in Silver City.

The complaint, filed last July 18 by Peter Burrows of Silver City, concerned the hiring of Judge Robinson’s daughter-in-law, Abigail Robinson, as Special Master for the Sixth Judicial Court, a contract position that pays $67,000 per year.

In his complaint, Burrows stated: “Whether or not Judge Robinson participated in the hiring decision, he should have been aware of the appearance of impropriety, i.e. nepotism, and therefore should have prevented the hiring.”

Burrows filed a similar complaint against Judge H.C. Quintero of the Sixth Judicial District Court, which is still under review.

Complaints about judicial misconduct are filed with the Judicial Standards Commission, the only agency with the responsibility to investigate the complaints and make recommendations to the New Mexico Supreme Court. Detailed information is available from their website: www.nmjsc.org.

By law, the Commission’s deliberations are confidential, and no details concerning the proceedings about Judge Robinson were obtainable.  

Burrows could not be reached for comment.