New Mexico Thirteenth Judicial District Court, Division IV
Background Amanda Sanchez Villalobos is a district court judge in Division IV of the New Mexico Thirteenth Judicial District Court, based in Grants, Cibola County. She presides over general jurisdiction cases including criminal, civil, family, and domestic matters.
Prior Experience Villalobos previously prosecuted criminal cases as an Assistant District Attorney. She practiced civil law at the Rodey Law Firm and worked on criminal and civil appeals at the New Mexico Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.
Appointment & Current Role A Democrat and a 2019 EMERGE NM alum, she was appointed to the bench in May 2019 by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
In the 2020 Peter Green / Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps Case, she released the leader of a religious sect, who was accused of child sex abuse and other serious charges, on house arrest after two years in custody. She cited delays in bringing the case to trial. The decision drew significant criticism from prosecutors and law enforcement. She later recused herself from the case after comments allegedly made by her husband on Facebook about the defendant.
In April 2024, a man named John Karl O’Brien, armed with an ax, entered the courthouse and threatened to kill Judge Villalobos after disagreeing with one of her civil rulings. He was arrested and later convicted. The New Mexico Supreme Court intervened in related proceedings.
Election Status She has been retained by voters in subsequent elections. Her current term expires on December 31, 2026.
Sources / Links:
- Thirteenth Judicial District Court Judges: https://thirteenthdistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/district-court-judges/
- KRQE (Recusal / Peter Green Case): https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/judge-recuses-herself-following-comments-her-husband-is-accused-of-making-on-facebook/
- KOB / Cibola Citizen (Threat Case): Multiple articles (2024–2025)
- Emerge New Mexico Alums: https://nm.emergeamerica.org/alum/in-elected-office/
- Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/Amanda_Sanchez_Villalobos




















































