Judge Benjamin Cross

Manuel Arrieta

New Mexico Ninth Judicial District Court, Division I

Background Benjamin S. Cross is a district court judge in Division I of the New Mexico Ninth Judicial District Court, based in Clovis, Curry County. He handles general jurisdiction cases including criminal, civil, family, and domestic matters. He is a Clovis native.

Education He graduated from Clovis High School in 1998. He earned a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas Tech University in 2002 and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2006.

Prior Experience Before becoming a judge, Cross served as a prosecutor in the Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office from 2006 to 2011. He then worked as a court attorney/staff attorney for the Ninth Judicial District Court from 2011 to 2021, where he oversaw mediation programs.

Appointment & Current Role A registered Republican, he was appointed to the bench on September 24, 2021, by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to fill a vacancy.

Election Status He was elected unopposed in the November 2022 general election. His current term expires on December 31, 2026.

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