Thomas J. Hynes
District Court Judge
11th Judicial District --
McKinley and San Juan Counties
Year: 2008
Evaluation: Judge Hynes received mixed ratings among the various groups surveyed. For example, attorneys rated Judge Hynes well for discharging responsibilities diligently, punctuality in commencing proceedings, maintaining proper control over proceedings, attentiveness to proceedings, and for treating self-represented litigants fairly. In addition, the court staff rated Judge Hynes positively on punctuality, discharging responsibilities diligently, and maintaining appropriate hours given the workload. However, Judge Hynes did not rate as well among resource staff (e.g. law enforcement and probation officers). This group gave the judge poor ratings on issues of fairness, courtesy, and equal treatment of all participants. Judge Hynes has indicated that he will try to find ways to improve his relationship with resource personnel through more open communication.
Experience & Education: Judge Hynes was appointed as a District Court Judge in 2003. Prior experience included 31 years in private practice. Judge Hynes presides over criminal cases and is very active in Drug Court. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his law degree from Georgetown Law School.