DANIEL GALLEGOS
Age: 40. Occupation: New Mexico Court of Appeals judge, appointed January.
Political affiliation: Republican.
Education: Bachelor’s in business administration, University of Notre Dame, 2000; master’s in science physical education, University of New Mexico, 2001; law degree, University of Notre Dame, 2005.
Experience: U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps (active duty), 2006-08; military prosecutor, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, 2007; legal adviser, Task Force 134, Baghdad, Iraq, 2008-10; assistant district attorney, 13th and 2nd Judicial Districts, 2010-12; staff attorney, New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2013-18; U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps reserves, 2010-present.
Personal: Born in Albuquerque. Decided to pursue law after successfully fighting an insurance company that didn’t want to pay for his surgery to repair a knee injury suffered playing basketball.
Why are you the best candidate for the post? “An appellate judge in New Mexico, by virtue of the vast assortment of cases that may come before the court, must by necessity be a generalist. Over the course of my varied career, I have served as a prosecutor in the Navy and in New Mexico; I have advised military commanders on the Law of Armed Conflict, international law, administrative law and ethics; as a staff attorney and judge at the Court of Appeals, I have handled more than 300 criminal and civil appeals.”
What sets you apart from your opponent? “I am the only candidate for Position 4 who has been vetted and recommended by the bipartisan Judicial Nominating Commission. … I am the only candidate for Position 4 who has experience as an appellate judge. I’m also the only candidate for Position 4 who has criminal prosecution experience. I am the only post-9/11 and Iraq War veteran currently serving on or running for the Court of Appeals.”
Criminal record: Gallegos said he was cited for underage drinking — a Class C misdemeanor — near his college in South Bend, Ind., just before he turned 20. The case went through pretrial diversion, according to Gallegos, and was dismissed after he paid a fine and completed community service.