Clerk of U.S. District Court for NM dismissed

The Clerk of the U.S. District Court for New Mexico, Matthew Dykman, was dismissed Monday after being on administrative leave for less than a week for undisclosed reasons.

Under federal law, clerks for federal courts serve at the pleasure of the district judges, and Dykman didn’t submit a resignation.

Chief Deputy Clerk Mitch Elfers was des-

ignated acting clerk and will assume Dykman’s job until the federal judges fill the position, Chief U.S. District Judge William P. “Chip” Johnson said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

According to an email, Johnson placed Dykman on administrative leave on April 24 and last Wednesday announced that his last day as clerk would be Monday.

Johnson said he couldn’t discuss the reasons for Dykman leaving the court.

“This is a personnel issue, and I am not allowed to discuss it,” Johnson said.

Dykman can apply to a confidential employee dispute resolution system under federal rules if he wishes to contest his dismissal.

The Administrative Office of the Courts will conduct an audit of the Clerk’s Office in the near future, according to a statement from that office.

That audit, Johnson said, is routine when a clerk leaves office for any reason.

Dykman had served as the court clerk since October 4, 2004. The clerk of court position earns between $142,712 and $190,078 a year.