New Mexico Eleventh Judicial District Court, Division I
Background Bradford J. Dalley is a district court judge in Division I of the New Mexico Eleventh Judicial District Court, based in Farmington, San Juan County. He presides over general jurisdiction cases including criminal, civil, family, and domestic matters.
Education He graduated from Farmington High School, earned a B.A. in Political Science from Brigham Young University, and received his J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law.
Prior Experience Dalley practiced law for over 25 years before becoming a judge. He currently serves on the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission.
Appointment & Current Role A registered Republican, he was appointed to the bench on January 2, 2015, by Governor Susana Martinez.
In the Navajo Nation / Northern Edge Navajo Casino Slip-and-Fall Case (2015–2018), he presided over a personal injury lawsuit filed by Harold and Michelle McNeal after a slip-and-fall at the Northern Edge Navajo Casino. The Navajo Nation and casino challenged state court jurisdiction, arguing sovereign immunity under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Dalley ruled that the tribal-state gaming compact allowed state court jurisdiction for such claims. The case went to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which addressed key issues of tribal sovereignty and compact waivers.
In January 2025, a Farmington man, Francisco Cabral, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Judge Dalley. The threat occurred in the context of a court proceeding.
Election Status He has been retained by voters in subsequent nonpartisan retention elections. His current term expires on December 31, 2026.
Sources / Links:
- NM Judicial Standards Commission Bio: https://www.nmjsc.org/about-us/commission-members/
- Tenth Circuit Opinion (Navajo Nation v. Dalley): https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/federal/documents/navajo_v_dalley.html
- Tricity Record (threat case): https://www.tricityrecordnm.com/articles/farmington-man-pleads-guilty-to-threatening-district-judge/
- NM JPEC 2020 Evaluation: https://nmjpec.org/judge-evaluation?election_id=455&year=2020
- Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/Brad_Dalley




















































