A judge sxting while presiding over trials and conducting hearings certainly is disgusting–but even more concerning that Judge Eugenio S. Mathis disclosed confidential information, and his rulings were influenced by personal bias. How many lives were destroyed by Judge S. Mathis’ rulings? How many rulings will be overturned? Can justice prevail after it has been peverted? This case has to do with abuses of power, and a judge who felt he could use the law–and the court–anyway he wanted.
Date of Charges: 2013
Name: Judge Eugenio S. Mathis
Position: District Court Judge, 4th Judicial District, Guadalupe, Mora & San Miguel Counties. Served since 1992.
Name Michelle (Pino) Mathis: Michelle Pino was Judge S. Mathis’ assistant since 2001. They married in 2008.
Position: Court Clerk’s Office
Background: Judge S. Mathis served as chief district judge from 2005 until 2009, he stepped down because his wife Michelle (Pino) Mathis works for the court and the state Supreme Court said that Mathis being his wife’s supervisor appeared improper.
In order to comply with the Supreme Court’s decision, Michelle Mathis was transferred to a supervisory job in the court clerk’s office in 2009. The court clerk’s office is supervised by the chief judge, so Mathis had to give up his position as the 4th Judicial District’s chief judge. He continued to serve on the bench until this scandal.
Location: Las Vegas, New Mexico
Misconduct:
*Judge S. Mathis sxt his wife Michelle numerous times while serving on the bench, during actual cases & hearings. Judge S. Mathis often implied he would have sex with his wife during the work day, and on the court property. A number of chat logs were filed into evidence, including a message that read “Don’t come knocking if the jury room is rockin’.”
*Judge S. Mathis also made statements that implied he did not like his job, including, “One more hearing. Are you ready to go home?? “i’VE BEEN READY SINCE 8:05″
*Let his wife Michelle read confidential reports
*Let his wife Michelle do personal business during work hours including online shopping, paying bills and undermined her supervision
*Not cooperating with other judges
*Making nasty comments about other cases
*Making nasty comments about other judges, personnel and attorneys
*Making comments showing bias or predjudice to jurors
Response:
Suspended without pay on Feb. 18, 2013 while investigation was pending
Judge S. Mathis agreed to resign in March 2013, and never hold a judicial position again
It is unclear if Michelle Mathis is receiving disciplinary action
When a judicial vacancy like this happens, the state Judicial Nominating Commission solicits applications, interviews candidates and forwards recommendations to the governor. The governor then appoints someone to fill position, from the pool of applicants recommended by the nominating commission. The person appointed by the governor will be placed on the ballot in the next general election, which will be in November of 2014, and have to win the vote to accept the position.
Sources:
“Breaking: Judge Mathis resigns post” by Martin Salazar, 3/1/13. Las Vegas Optic: http://www.lasvegasoptic.com/content/breaking-judge-mathis-resigns-post?mini=calendar-date%2F2013-04&quicktabs_2=0
“Judge Eugenio S. Mathis Resigns Amid Misconduct Allegations” by Evan Bleier, 3/7/13. Opposing Views: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/judge-eugenio-s-mathis-resigns-amid-misconduct-allegations
“New Mexico Judge Resigns Amid Allegations of Sextexting and Misconduct” by Jonathan Turley, 3/7/13. http://jonathanturley.org/2013/03/07/nevada-judge-resigns-amid-allegations-of-sextexting-and-misconduct/
Among the Wolves 
Wow, Judge Mathis and Michelle (Pino) Mathis do not ever have sex while they were working. If I know Judge Mathis and Michelle Mathis, they took their job very seriously. And for someone to make it look like they didn’t is awful. I bet you guys don’t know the story about the attorney , because I know there was one attorney that sat on her butt and stared at herself through a mirror all day. In addition another worker was suppose to be friends with Michelle , so Michelle went to the workers dads services,in Santa Fe, and when Michele’s father passed away the worker couldn’t even walk across the street to Michele’s fathers services. When plenty of other workers did. TO SUPPORT, AND RESPECT MICHELLE PINOS AND HER FATHER. And the whole sxting thing.. You guys don’t know the story, because it was written down on their emails. Judge Mathis was a judge for a long time, he knew what he was doing and quite frankly that seemed to bother a lot of people. Mathis never took advantage of his job, he never hated it. Everyone has a day where they just want to go home. Am I right? But since Judge Mathis said it the world must know he “hated” his job. I’m not saying both are completely innocent, but come on!! You don’t have to over exaggerate you dumb stories to get more viewers. So if you don’t know the WHOLE story. Don’t write about it! Plain and simple. I know The Honerable Eugenio Mathis, and Michelle (Pino) Mathis are good people.
LikeLike
Update on Former Judge Eugenio Mathis of Las Vegas, NM:
According to one Reader, Judge Eugenio Mathis deserves our sympathy. Do you agree? Please feel to share your comments below.
The former Judge Mathis received his law license in 1979. Mathis served on the 4th District Court Judge in San Miguel County located in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He permanently resigned from the judicial bench in Feb 2013, after being investigated for misconduct by The New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission.
The Reader who commented brings up an interesting point that Mathis may have been living a double life–appearing to be an upstanding citizen and respectable judge, and engaging in offensive and totally inappropriate behavior as well. This type of behavior typically does not happen in one day–it happens over time, and continues until the perpetrator is exposed or brought to accountability.
In his defense, Mathis says he was a “hardworking” and “conscientious judge”.
Mathis denies many of the charges against him but admits to:
–Violating the Court computer and Internet policy
–Making negative remarks to and about employees and fellow judges
–Failing to cooperate with other officials in administration of court business
–Courting his wife in the courtroom — Engaging in “excessive and improper” instant messaging with his wife of a sexual nature while presiding over hearings and trials “including intimations that he had or would be having sexual relations with her during the workday and/or on court premises.”
Other charges include:
–Referring to parties in a domestic violence case “chigando,” meaning acting crazy
–Permitted his wife to make statements about “perpetuating violence in the workplace against her supervisors and/or others” (according to a letter to Mathis from the commission’s clerk)
–Interfered with and undermined the supervision of his wife
–Sharing confidential reports with his wife. Gossiping about fellow Court staff and Judges with his wife.
View other comments from litigants about Mathis also at: http://www.therobingroom.com/newmexico/Judge.aspx?id=8316
The New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission charged Judge Eugenio Mathis with misconduct, and he resigned from the bench to avoid disciplinary action. In fact, Mathis can never serve as judge in New Mexico again, “ 02-28-13 Supreme Court grants Commission’s Motion to Accept Stipulation to Permanent Resignation from Judicial Office in Lieu of Further Disciplinary Proceedings concerning Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Eugenio S. Mathis, Supreme Court Docket No. 34,026, JSC Inquiry Nos. 2013-020.
Supreme Court order accepts the permanent resignation effective the same day, February 28, 2013 at 5:00 p.m., permanently bars Mathis from ever holding judicial office in New Mexico again, and unseals the Supreme Court’s file in the disciplinary matter. All public documents, including the Commission’s petition for immediate temporary suspension without pay and the referenced motion are available from the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office (505-827-4860).” http://www.nmjsc.org/recentcommissionactionandnotices.php
Mathis plans to work as a lawyer and a mediator. He now practices with the Mathis Law Office LLC at 498 Sun Drive in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Also See:
ABQ Journal: Judge Agrees to Step Down
http://www.abqjournal.com/main/173716/news/judge-agrees-to-step-down.html
Alamogordo News: NM judge accused of misbehavior agrees to resign
http://www.alamogordonews.com/ci_22696063/nm-judge-accused-misbehavior-agrees-resign
Attorney Eugenio Mathis of Las Vegas, NM; pervert
http://www.noethics.net/News/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4907:attorney-eugenio-mathis-of-las-vegas-nm-pervert-&catid=184:attorney-pervs&Itemid=101
LikeLike