Kea W. Riggs

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.

Kea W. Riggs
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
Assumed office
December 31, 2019
Appointed byDonald Trump
Preceded byM. Christina Armijo
Judge of the Fifth Judicial District Court of New Mexico
In office
August 8, 2014 – December 31, 2019
Appointed bySusana 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 55–56)
Midwest City, Oklahoma, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Oklahoma (BBA)
University of Oklahoma College of Law (JD)

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]

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

Magistrate judge tenure

Riggs served as a United States Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, a position she was appointed to on April 13, 2001, and left on August 8, 2014, upon becoming a state district judge.[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 of 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 to 2009 and in 2011.[10]

Personal life

She is married to Stanton Riggs, also an attorney. They have two children.[3]

References
  1. "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.
  2. https://ballotpedia.org/New_Mexico_Fifth_Judicial_District_Court
  3. Kea W. Riggs Biographical Information
  4. "Magistrate Judges District of New Mexico". Tenth Circuit Historical Society. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  5. "Twelve Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, May 13, 2019
  6. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for June 26, 2019
  7. Results of Executive Business Meeting – July 18, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee
  8. "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 116th Congress – 1st Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  9. "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 116th Congress – 1st Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  10. "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.
Legal offices
Preceded by
M. Christina Armijo		 Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
2019–present		 Incumbent
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