The New Mexico Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended Mike Runnels — a former Santa Fe city councilor, lieutenant governor, district attorney and congressional candidate — from practicing law for at least one year and ordered him to pay more than $5,000 in restitution to a former client.

The suspension was based on charges that Runnels took $2,000 from Sofia Christmas of Ruidoso in 2008 to represent her in a dispute with a neighbor over an easement, then missed hearings and deadlines while assuring her all was under control.

"She found out it wasn't one morning when she went out to the disputed piece of land and there was a sign there that her neighbor had posted, saying 'You lost. See your lawyer,' " Virginia Ferrara, chief disciplinary counsel for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court, said Thursday.

Ferrara said a judge had found against Christmas and fined her $400 for failing to respond to a request for information as part of the lawsuit, even though she had filled out interrogatories and given them to Runnels. She was fined an additional $400 for contempt for not paying the initial fine because she was not aware of it, Ferrara said.

Runnels "was thoroughly disinterested in this entire proceeding," Ferrara said. "He didn't file an answer to the charges. He didn't appear at the hearing." However, Runnels did admit he "dropped the ball" in testimony in a subsequent hearing at which a judge set aside his directed verdict, Ferrara said. She said she understands Runnels also paid the $800 in fines.

Runnels, 64, was not available for comment Thursday. He is a son of the late Harold "Mud" Runnels, owner of a Lovington drilling-mud company, who was a U.S. congressman from New Mexico southern district from 1970 until his death in 1980.

The younger Runnels moved to Santa Fe in the 1970s and was elected to the Santa Fe City Council in 1976. After one four-year term, he moved to Southern New Mexico to make a bid for his father's congressional seat, but was not successful.

In 1982, Runnels entered the race for lieutenant governor. This time, he won the Democratic primary and went on to win the general election as the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Toney Anaya.

Runnels hinted that he might run for his father's old congressional seat again in 1984 and for governor in 1986, but neither campaign got off the ground.

In February 1984, Runnels made headlines after he left the Bull Ring, lost control of his car at the corner of Acequia Madre and Garcia Street, sideswiped another car and crashed through a wall of a residence. According to witnesses, after the wreck, Runnels got out of his car, walked to the refrigerator in the kitchen, opened it, took out a carton of milk and took a swig — what some claimed was an effort to cover up alcohol on his breath. But police did not test him for alcohol and charged him only with reckless driving. He pleaded guilty and was fined $300.

In 1987, after finishing his term as lieutenant governor and divorcing his wife, Beth Runnels, Mike Runnels was arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated after he allegedly hit a parked pickup on an Albuquerque street. On-line court records do not give the disposition of that case.

After a heart bypass operation in 1991, Runnels moved to Los Lunas and in 1992 was elected as the district attorney of the 13th Judicial District, representing Cibola, Sandoval and Valencia counties. In 1993, Valencia County sheriff's deputies investigated a domestic incident involving Runnels and his wife, Linn Runnels. Runnels insisted the incident was a misunderstanding and no charges were filed.

Runnels ran again for the congressional seat in 2000, but lost to then-State Treasurer Michael Montoya in the primary. Since leaving the district attorney's position at the end of 2000, Runnels has lived quietly in Los Lunas and Ruidoso. Although he recently practiced law in Ruidoso, he no longer is listed as an active member of the state Bar Association.

According to Wednesday's order from the Supreme Court, following a hearing before all five justices, Runnels must reimburse Christmas for the $2,000 legal fee plus 8.75 percent interest since May 22, 2008; $3,137.28 she paid to two other lawyers to represent her in the subsequent case plus 8.75 percent interest since last March 29; pay $94.36 for the cost of the proceeding before the high court; and serve 100 hours of community service.

Runnels may apply to be reinstated as a lawyer after one year. But if he fails to pay the full restitution before Nov. 19, says the order, the suspension "will be converted to an order of disbarment."

Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.