Neil C. Candelaria
District Court Judge
2nd Judicial District --
Bernalillo County
Year: 2008
Evaluation: Judge Candelaria received positive evaluations from both attorneys and non-attorneys. Attorneys and resource staff (e.g. law enforcement and probation officers) rated the judge favorably for his attentiveness to the proceedings, maintaining proper control over the proceedings, and ruling on motions or cases in a timely manner. The court staff rated Judge Candelaria highly for displaying a sense of fairness, maintaining appropriate hours given the workload, punctuality in commencing proceedings, and for his dignified demeanor. However, he received lower ratings among some attorneys with respect to his courtesy and the perception that he can sometimes appear arrogant.
Experience & Education: Judge Candelaria was appointed District Court Judge in February 1999 and elected in November 2000. He presides over criminal cases and is the presiding judge of the Mental Health Court. Prior to being appointed, he was an assistant district attorney for eight years and served as a Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court Judge for four years. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Albuquerque and law degree from the University of New Mexico.