The number of civil cases in the 1st Judicial District has been rising during the last year and a half, while the number of criminal cases has been dropping.

The difference in the numbers is prompting changes in the type of caseloads handled by each of the seven judges in the district, Chief Judge Stephen Pfeffer said Friday. Those changes will go into effect in January, after Gov. Bill Richardson appoints a replacement for Judge Jim Hall, who recently announced his retirement.

The differences begin with Hall's replacement.

The New Mexico Bar Bulletin has been running an advertisement saying the new judge's docket will cover juveniles, domestic relations and abuse and neglect cases. That has changed, Pfeffer said.

The new judge's docket will be solely family court, now overseen by Judge Raymond Ortiz, he said. Ortiz will take over a newly cobbled together set of responsibilities that will consist of family court and 20 percent of the civil docket, Pfeffer said.

Judge Michael Vigil, who now handles the criminal docket along with Pfeffer, will take over the Children's Court docket, which is currently overseen by Judge Barbara Vigil, he said. Michael Vigil will continue to preside over his portion of the criminal docket, but will handle far fewer civil cases than he does now, Pfeffer said.

Barbara Vigil will take over Hall's docket — which consists of 40 percent of the district's civil cases. Judge Daniel Sanchez, who has made noise about retiring soon but hasn't yet set a date, will handle the remaining 40 percent of the civil docket.

Probate cases, currently handled by Sanchez, will be spread among all seven judges, Pfeffer said.

Judge Sheri Raphaelson, who oversees the Rio Arriba County docket, will continue to handle both civil and criminal cases from that area, he said.

Michael Vigil and Pfeffer each currently oversee about 800 criminal cases, Pfeffer said, while Sanchez and Hall are handling close to 2,000 civil cases each.

Pfeffer said he's heard from the District Attorney's Office that the drop in criminal cases is likely temporary. As for the number of civil cases, Pfeffer said the number is increasing because of the economy, a growing population as well as the fact that criminal cases take precedence because of speedy-trial issues involved.

For the last three years, the 1st Judicial District, which includes Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Los Alamos counties, has been at the top of the list in terms of priority for a new judge, Pfeffer said. A study done three years ago said the district needs three more judges, he said. However, because of budget deficits, the Legislature hasn't allocated the money for the position, he said.

The issue will be addressed by legislators again in January, though Pfeffer said he didn't have high hopes the money would be found this year.

The 1st Judicial District Nominating Committee will meet Nov. 5 to interview the 17 candidates who have applied for the open judgeship.

Contact Jason Auslander at 986-3076 or :jauslander@sfnewmexican.com.