LORDSBURG – Hidalgo County Magistrate Court Manager Connie Newell is retiring after 26 years of public service in the Judiciary.
Newell has served as court manager since November 2010, and began working for the Hidalgo County Magistrate Court in 2000 as a court clerk-judicial specialist. Her retirement is effective May 1.
Newell said she was excited about retirement and considered it "time to enjoy family and friends." A daughter will graduate from high school next month and a son is a junior at Lordsburg High School. An eldest daughter is moving to Albuquerque from Texas, and Newell said she looked forward to spending more time with a grandchild and her daughter because they will be living closer to her.
"The district and magistrate courts in the Sixth Judicial District thank Connie for her dedication and hard work providing judicial services to the people of New Mexico for more than two decades," said Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Jarod Hofacket.
The Sixth Judicial District covers Hidalgo, Grant and Luna counties. New Mexico's 43 magistrate courts have limited jurisdiction, adjudicating misdemeanors, traffic cases, civil actions up to $10,000 and holding preliminary hearings to determine probable cause on felony charges.
