Governor Lujan Grisham has appointed the Chief Clerk of the New Mexico Court of Appeals, Ramon J. Maestas, and Second Judicial District Children’s Court Special Commissioner, Andrea I. Gunderson, to the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.

Both judges will preside in the court’s Civil Division, hearing small claims disputes. Judge Maestas and Judge Gunderson will take the oath of office March 17^th, succeeding retired Judges Frank A. Sedillo and Linda S. Rogers.

“The wealth of knowledge and experience both judges bring to the Metropolitan Court bench will allow for a smooth transition as they take on some of the busiest civil dockets in the state,” said Chief Judge Joshua J. Sánchez.

Judge Maestas has served as Chief Clerk of the NM Court of Appeals since April of 2024. Before that, he worked as Deputy General Counsel for the Second Judicial District Court and as a prosecutor in the felony division of the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office. He’s a member of the Commission on the Rules of Civil Procedure and the New Mexico LGBTQ+ Bar Association.

An Albuquerque native and graduate of Rio Grande High School, Judge Maestas received both his Juris Doctor and undergraduate degrees from the University of New Mexico. He holds a Master of Science Degree from Syracuse University and is licensed to practice law in both New Mexico and New York. 

“It’s an honor to serve the citizens of my hometown and Bernalillo County in this new role and continue working in line with the judiciary’s mission of providing equal access to justice under the law,” said Judge Maestas.

Judge Gunderson has served as a Special Commissioner in the Second Judicial District Children’s Court since October of 2022. Prior to that, she established and for 12 years ran her own law practice, the Law Office of Andrea I. Gunderson, practicing in criminal defense and general civil litigation with a focus in child welfare.

A native of Albuquerque and graduate of Valley High School, Judge Gunderson earned her bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Spanish from the University of New Mexico. She continued her education at the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management, earning a Master’s of Business Administration. She then pursued her legal studies at the University of New Mexico School of Law, earning her Juris Doctorate.

In addition to her legal career, Judge Gunderson is actively involved in philanthropic organizations, offering her time and expertise to community initiatives, boards, and organizations and is the proud daughter of Bruce and Agnes Gunderson of Socorro, NM.

“My work leading up to this point in my career has been an amazing adventure. I look forward to the new challenges and experiences this opportunity brings, and I intend to serve my community with pride,” said Judge Gunderson.