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Joseph Cervantes | |
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Member of the New Mexico Senate from the 31st district | |
Assumed office 2012 | |
Preceded by | Cynthia Nava |
Personal details | |
Born | Las Cruces,New Mexico,U>S. | January 19,1961
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Jennifer Cervantes |
Children | 3 |
Education | University of New Mexico (BA,JD) California Polytechnic State University (MArch) |
Joseph Cervantes (born January 19,1961) is an American attorney in private practice in Las Cruces,New Mexico,and currently a member of the New Mexico Senate,representing the 31st District since 2012.
Joseph Cervantes was born in Las Cruces,New Mexico,and raised farming near La Mesa in southern Doña Ana County. Cervantes graduated from Las Cruces High School in 1979,and the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Arts in architecture in 1983. In 1985,Cervantes received a Master of Architecture degree from California Polytechnic State University. He was licensed as an architect by the State of California in 1987 and became an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
In 1991 Cervantes received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law.
Cervantes practiced architecture in La Jolla,California,with Dale Naegle &Associates before returning to New Mexico in 1987 to oversee construction of new schools for the Gadsden School District in Anthony and Sunland Park N.M.
Cervantes then graduated from University of New Mexico Law School in 1991 where he was a member of the Law Review and Moot Court Teams. Cervantes began his legal career as an associate of the Albuquerque law firm Modrall Sperling Roehl Harris &Sisk. In 1995 he founded Cervantes Law Firm. In 2017 Cervantes joined partners to form the trial law firm Cervantes Scherr Legate PLC. Cervantes is a member of the New Mexico State Bar,the ABA Litigation Section,and a former member of the Inn of Courts. Cervantes represents New Mexico on the Uniform Law Commission (ULC).
As a recognized courtroom lawyer Cervantes was trial and appellate counsel part of the Santa Fe jury wrongful death verdict against FedEx for $165 million. Cervantes successfully argued the appeal upholding that jury verdict by the New Mexico Supreme Court. Cervantes has multiple wrongful death,trucking and medical malpractice verdicts upheld in reported decisions from the New Mexico Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Since 2000 Cervantes has been selected to the list of Southwest Super Lawyers
In addition to practicing law,Cervantes with his family has business interests in southern New Mexico including commercial real estate development,farming and agricultural processing.
Cervantes is a recipient of the Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award from the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government. Cervantes has served on the Board of Directors for New Mexico First,and for Leadership New Mexico,as well as other statewide boards and commissions associated with his Senate position. Cervantes is a member of the New Mexico Amigos.
In 2022 the law firm of Cervantes Scherr Legate donated $3 million to the University of New Mexico Law School to permanently endow full annual student scholarships.
Cervantes was first elected to public office in 1998 defeating Republican incumbent Doña Ana County Commissioner Dora Harp. In 2001,Cervantes was appointed to the New Mexico House of Representatives,and was reelected in five successive campaigns through 2012. In the New Mexico House of Representatives,Cervantes was appointed as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee,Vice-Chairman of the House Rules Committee,and Chairman of the interim Water &Natural Resources Committee.
In 2012,Cervantes announced he would seek the New Mexico Senate seat vacated by the retirement of Sen. Cynthia Nava.[ citation needed ] In the June 2012 Democratic primary election Cervantes defeated former Sunland Park Mayor Jesus Ruben Segura. Cervantes went on to win with 68.26% of the general election vote. [1] Cervantes has been re-elected to the Senate in 2016 and 2020.
Cervantes announced his bid for Governor of New Mexico for the 2018|2018 election]],but was unsuccessful in the Democratic Party primary. In the Senate Cervantes was then selected Chairman of the Conservation Committee in 2017. In 2020 Cervantes was appointed Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee,where he continues to serve.
Cervantes and his wife, New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Cervantes, are parents of three daughters, Alex, Bella, and Jules and reside in Doña Ana County.[ citation needed ]
A Roman Catholic, Cervantes made news when a local parish priest and bishop advised Cervantes he would be denied Holy Communion because of his votes to advance legislation on reproductive freedoms for women, and for end of life medical care for terminally ill patients. In his role as Senate Judiciary Chairman Cervantes rejected conditions imposed by his local prelate to withhold hearings on pending legislation. Cervantes remains the only U.S. elected official to be denied communion in his home parish, and attends Mass elsewhere. [2]
Las Cruces is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico and the seat of Doña Ana County. As of the 2020 census the population was 111,385. Las Cruces is the most populous city in both Doña Ana County and southern New Mexico. The Las Cruces metropolitan area had an estimated population of 213,849 in 2017. It is the principal city of a metropolitan statistical area which encompasses all of Doña Ana County and is part of the larger El Paso–Las Cruces combined statistical area with a population of 1,088,420 making it the 56th largest combined statistical area in the United States.
Santa Teresa is a census-designated place (CDP) in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, United States. It is home to the Santa Teresa Port of Entry and is part of the Las Cruces Metropolitan Statistical Area, although geographically it is considerably closer to El Paso, Texas, than to Las Cruces. While the United States Census Bureau has defined Santa Teresa as a CDP, the census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name. The population was 4,258 at the 2010 census and 5,044 at the 2020 census. The National Weather Service El Paso Weather Forecast Office that serves extreme western Texas and Southwestern New Mexico states is based in Santa Teresa.
Sunland Park is a city in southeastern Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States, on the borders of Texas and the Mexican state of Chihuahua, with Ciudad Juárez adjoining it on the south and El Paso, Texas, on the east. The community of Santa Teresa adjoins it on the northwest. The population of Sunland Park was 14,106 at the 2010 census and was estimated at 17,978 by the United States Census Bureau in 2019. Though it lies adjacent to El Paso, being in Doña Ana County makes it a part of the Las Cruces metropolitan statistical area. Las Cruces is 42 miles (68 km) to the north.
Kenneth Daniel Gallegos Miyagishima is an American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Las Cruces, New Mexico from 2007 to 2023. In 2023, after serving for 16 years, he stepped down, and was succeeded by Eric Enriquez.
Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. is a senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. His chambers are in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The 2000 United States Senate election in New Mexico took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman won re-election to a fourth term. Bingaman defeated Bill Redmond in a landslide, despite fellow Democrat Al Gore winning New Mexico over Republican nominee George W. Bush by a very narrow margin in the concurrent presidential election.
Doña Ana County is a county located in the southern part of the State of New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 219,561, which makes it the second-most populated county in New Mexico. Its county seat is Las Cruces, the second-most populous municipality in New Mexico after Albuquerque, with 111,385 as of the 2020 U.S. Census.
Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) is a school district headquartered in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The school district covers the city of Las Cruces as well as White Sands Missile Range, the settlement of Doña Ana, and the town of Mesilla. The system has 25 elementary schools, nine middle schools, and six high schools. Of the high schools, St. Mary's Catholic high school, Alma D'Arte, Las Montañas, and Arrowhead Park Early College High School are alternative high schools, and there are nearly 25,000 students and 3,600 employees. LCPS is the second-largest school district in New Mexico.
Charles Anthony Franco is an American politician. He was a game warden, police officer, Undersheriff for Doña Ana County, Judge on the Dona Ana County Magistrate Court, and the First Gentleman of New Mexico.
Peter Wirth is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the New Mexico Senate, first elected in 2009. He previously served in the New Mexico House of Representatives from 2005 to 2009.
Jeff Steinborn, is a Democratic member of the New Mexico State Senate, serving since 2017.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of New Mexico on November 4, 2014. All of New Mexico's executive officers were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat, and all of New Mexico's three seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on June 3, 2014.
Doña Ana Community College is a public community college with several campuses in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. It was established in 1973 at the request of the Gadsden, Hatch, and Las Cruces school boards to provided vocational and technical education opportunities to the citizens of Doña Ana County. It is independently accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. The community college offers instruction leading to associate degrees and technical certificates and preparation for further academic work. It is a branch of New Mexico State University. Doña Ana Community College has six campuses, with three in Las Cruces, and one each in Anthony, Sunland Park, and Chaparral. Dual credit classes are also offered in conjunction with local high schools.
The 2020 United States Senate election in New Mexico was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of New Mexico, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
New Mexico State Road 28 (NM 28) is a 30.346-mile-long (48.837 km) paved, two-lane state highway in Doña Ana County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It travels south-to-north roughly paralleling the Rio Grande.
State Road 273 (NM 273) is a 14.015-mile-long (22.555 km), paved state highway in Doña Ana County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. NM 273's southern terminus is a continuation as Anapra Road in Sunland Park at the Texas state line, just west of the Anapra Road Rio Grande bridge. NM 273's northern terminus is southeast of La Union at the road's junction with NM 28. NM 273 is also known as McNutt Road.
Stephen H. Fischmann is an American politician from New Mexico. He is a member of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission from the 5th district, covering all of Catron, Doña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra, and Valencia Counties and parts of Lincoln, Otero, Socorro, and Torrance Counties.
Ben L. Hall is an American politician who served as a member of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission from the 5th district, covering all of Catron, Doña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra, and Valencia Counties and parts of Lincoln, Otero, Socorro, and Torrance Counties.
Raymundo Lara is an American politician and educator, currently serving as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives from the 34th district, which includes San Miguel, La Mesa, Chamberino, La Union, Santa Teresa, and Sunland Park in Doña Ana County.