8-26-2023 8:38am

Suggs Resigns Magistrate Court Richard Greene III Appointed by Governor

Chris Edwards Editor

Magistrate Judge Michael Ryan Suggs has resigned as of June 30th, 2023. Judge Suggs served as magistrate court judge. Suggs was appointed to the local magistrate Judge’s seat Feb. 20, 2018 by Gov. Susana Martinez after Judge James Scot Newton resigned from the bench.

At the time of his appointment, Suggs was working for the New Mexico State Police then retired as the NMSP deputy chief after an almost 21-year career with the department.

Suggs left his family home of Alamorosa, that’s the area between Tularosa and Alamogordo, after he graduated from Tularosa High School in 1994 to join the U.S. Navy.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has named Albert R. Greene III as the new Otero County Magistrate Judge. Greene replaces Judge Michael Ryan Suggs who resigned as of June 30. Greene III will begin his new role on October 2.

After serving 3 years in the Navy, he went into the New Mexico State Police Academy then worked as a patrolman.

Suggs garnered a master’s degree in criminal justice from New Mexico State University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

While a seated judge he continued his education and was admitted to the New Mexico Bar Association October 13, 2022. He earned his JD degree to practice law from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Suggs had applied for membership to the bar prior to seeking reelection while running against Claudia Powell in the most recent election last November where he was re-elected. His first election he ran the primary against Division II Magistrate Judge Wallace “Wally” Anderson and Jen Garza. The general election he was solo winning with 12389 votes. In the most recent election he won against Claudia Powell 11393 to Powell’s 5883 votes.

With Suggs resignation Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has named Albert R. Greene III as the new Otero County Magistrate Judge. Greene III will begin his new role on October 2.

According to a news release, Greene III was a domestic relations hearing officer with the Twelfth Judicial District Court beginning in January 2023. Before that, he served as a senior Children’s Court attorney with the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department. Greene has degrees from Drew University and the Quinnipiac University School of Law.

Greene became a lawyer in Connecticut in 2005, while he served as clerk for a judge at the time. He had interned previously at two different public defender's offices – an adult public defender's office and a juvenile public defender's office.

A job in the New Mexico public defender's office was offered to Greene through his law school and he chose to relocate to Roswell in 2006. Greene began working in the 12th Judicial District in September 2011.

During an interview several years ago in the Alamogordo News he stated, "New Mexico is a unique place to become a lawyer in this type of work because you get experience here that you don't get in other places," Greene said. "Five years here is like 10 years on the east coast. I was someone who loved this region in the first place – I had family out here. I came out here loving the region and hoping to have an opportunity to do work that I like…."

Greene opened the Law Office of A. Richard Greene III in Alamogordo, 1102 Ninth Street on January 2012. Green III has been political on occasion as he ran as a write in candidate to oppose 12th Judicial District Attorney's race, hoping to challenge Republican Party nominee John Suggs in the general election of 2016.

Greene III most recently served as a domestic relations hearing officer with the Twelfth Judicial District Court beginning in January 2023. Before that, he served as a senior Children’s Court attorney with the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department.

AlamogordoTownsNews.com and KALHRadio.org wishes Mr. Suggs success on his next career move, and congratulates Richard Green III on his new role as Magistrate.