Daniel J. Gallegos (born March 19, 1978)[1] is an American attorney, a former judge on the New Mexico Court of Appeals in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and a former district judge on the Second Judicial District Court in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.[1][2][3][4] He is a member of the Republican Party.[1][2]
Daniel J. Gallegos | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the New Mexico Court of Appeals | |
| In office January 2018 – December 2018 | |
| District Judge, Second Judicial District Court | |
| In office January 2019 - December 2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 19, 1978 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | University of Notre Dame University of New Mexico Notre Dame Law School |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | U.S. Navy |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
Early life and education
editGallegos was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he graduated from St. Pius X High School (Albuquerque) in 1996.[2][3][4] Gallegos attended the University of Notre Dame and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 2000.[1][2][3][4] He then attended the University of New Mexico and earned a Master of Science in Physical Education degree in 2001.[1][2][3] He then attended Notre Dame Law School, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree cum laude in 2005.[2][3] In his third year of law school, Gallegos won the featherweight championship of Notre Dame's famous Bengal Bouts and was awarded the "Dan Adam Award" as the law school's best boxer.[2][3][5]
Career
editMilitary service
editAfter law school, Gallegos joined the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps.[3][4][6] After graduating from the Naval Justice School with honors in 2005, he reported to Naval Air Station Jacksonville as a military prosecutor.[1][3] In 2007, Gallegos deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he served as a legal advisor with Multi-National Force – Iraq, Task Force 134.[1][2][3][4] In 2008, Gallegos reported as deputy command judge advocate on board USS Nimitz (CVN-68).[2][3]
In 2010, Gallegos left active duty and joined the United States Navy Reserve.[1][3] As a reserve Navy JAG, he variously served as an operational law attorney with the United States Third Fleet, United States Pacific Fleet, and the United States Sixth Fleet reserve legal offices.[3] He also served as staff judge advocate for SEAL Team 17 and for the Navy reserve component of United States Special Operations Command.[3][7] From 2014-2015, Gallegos mobilized to Joint Task Force Guantanamo, where he served as liaison to the International Committee of the Red Cross.[2][3]
Civilian legal career
editIn 2010, Gallegos became a prosecutor with the 13th Judicial District Attorney's Office in Sandoval County, New Mexico.[1][2][3] In 2011, he became a prosecutor with the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.[1][2][3] In 2013, he became a staff attorney at the New Mexico Court of Appeals in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[1][2][3] From 2015-2018, Gallegos served on the board of directors of the National Hispanic Cultural Center.[2][3] In 2021, Gallegos joined Harrison & Hart, LLC, as an attorney.[3][7]
Judicial service
editIn January 2018, Gallegos was appointed to the New Mexico Court of Appeals by Governor Susana Martinez.[8] He ran a statewide campaign to keep his seat on the court.[1][6][9] He was the subject of an attack ad paid for by New Mexico trial lawyers, portraying him as a puppet of Governor Martinez.[10] In response, Gallegos is quoted by The Santa Fe New Mexican as saying, “It is a disappointing turn of events, given that judicial elections in New Mexico, while nominally partisan, are supposed to be different“ and that "[t]his overt and rancorous appeal to partisanship is antithetical to the concept of judicial independence and the rule of law.”[10] Gallegos went on to lose to Democrat Megan Duffy, 54.5% to 45.5%, the closest statewide race in the 2018 New Mexico elections.[11][12]
In December 2018, Governor Martinez appointed Gallegos to the Second Judicial District Court in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, where he presided over felony criminal cases.[2][13] In November 2020, he lost a partisan countywide election to Democrat Courtney Weaks, 56.2% to 43.8%.[12][14] His 43.8% was the best performance of any Republican in Bernalillo County in the 2020 New Mexico elections.[15]
Family
editHis father, Danny Gallegos, is a retired firefighter with Albuquerque Fire Rescue and his mother, Connie Gallegos, retired from the Albuquerque Public Schools.[6] His brother, Dominic Gallegos, is a Lieutenant with Albuquerque Fire Rescue.[16]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mexican, The New. "Court of Appeals candidate biographies". Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Q&A: 2nd Judicial District Court Candidate Daniel J. Gallegos - Albuquerque Journal". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Daniel Gallegos". LinkedIn.
- ^ a b c d e "Reflection". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "BENGAL BOUTS: Champions crowned Saturday // The Observer". The Observer. 2005-11-30. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ a b c "Judge Daniel Gallegos "What's Right"". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ a b "Our Team".
- ^ "2 appointments by Martinez fill Court of Appeals vacancies". AP News. 2018-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "Electing Judges To The New Mexico Court Of Appeals". New Mexico In Focus. 2018-10-26. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ a b By, Andrew Oxford |. "PAC portrays New Mexico judges as Martinez puppets". Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "New Mexico Secretary of State". electionresults.sos.state.nm.us. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ a b "Daniel Gallegos". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "Departing N.M. governor makes judicial appointment". Santa Fe New Mexican. Associated Press. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "New Mexico Secretary of State". electionresults.sos.state.nm.us. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "New Mexico Secretary of State". electionresults.sos.state.nm.us. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "Mayor Richard J. Berry, City of Albuquerque News Conference 5-20-16". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-01-30.