Judge Eileen Patricia Riordan

Manuel Arrieta

New Mexico Fifth Judicial District Court, Division V

Background Eileen Patricia Riordan is a district court judge on the Fifth Judicial District Court in New Mexico, which covers Chaves, Eddy, and Lea counties. She currently serves in Division V in Eddy County.

Education & Admission She earned a Bachelor of Science with honors in criminal justice from New Mexico State University in 1987 and a Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1990. She was admitted to the New Mexico Bar in October 1990.

Prior Experience Riordan began her career as Carlsbad City Attorney in August 1995 and served in that role for 25 years until December 2020. In that position she prosecuted municipal court cases and handled civil matters.

After leaving the bench in 2022, she joined 575 Law Group, LLC in Carlsbad, practicing in personal injury, domestic relations, juvenile law, criminal law, commercial law, and appellate practice.

Appointment & Current Role A Democrat, she was first appointed to the Fifth Judicial District Court by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in January 2021 and served until December 2022. In the 2022 election for Division 1 she was defeated by Republican David Finger.

She was reappointed to the Fifth Judicial District Court (Eddy County, Division V) by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on September 19, 2025, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Jane Shuler Gray. The appointment became effective October 11, 2025. She was a Democrat in 2022 and is currently registered as a Republican.

During her first tenure she presided over several cases that were later appealed:

  • In Walker v. Carlsbad Medical Center, LLC (2022), she granted summary judgment for the defendants in a medical malpractice case; the Court of Appeals reversed in 2023.
  • In Vanhorn v. Carlsbad Municipal School District (2022), she granted summary judgment for the defendants under the Tort Claims Act; the Court of Appeals reversed in 2024.
  • In State v. Fierro (2022), she presided over a criminal trial; the Court of Appeals affirmed the convictions in 2023.
  • In State v. Scott (2023), a criminal appeal from her court was addressed by the Court of Appeals in 2024.

Election Status Her current term follows the October 2025 reappointment.

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