New Mexico

New Mexico Supreme Court rules tribal courts have jurisdiction over casino injury cases

Published

2 years ago

January 30, 2024

New Mexico Supreme Court rules tribal courts have jurisdiction over casino injury cases

Originally Published: January 30, 2024 7:20 a.m.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico Supreme Court on Jan. 23 ruled that tribal courts have jurisdiction over personal injury and property damage cases brought against Native American casinos, ending a long battle that saw pueblos and other tribes advocate for protecting sovereignty when such legal claims arise.

The decision stemmed from a 2016 lawsuit in which an employee of an electrical company claimed he was severely injured while making a delivery at Pojoaque Pueblo’s casino. The state Court of Appeals had reversed a lower court ruling that initially called for the case to be dismissed.

The tribe then asked the state Supreme Court to settle the question over jurisdiction.

In its ruling, the court pointed to previous decisions in two federal cases that effectively terminated a provision in tribal-state gambling compacts that waived sovereign immunity to allow jurisdiction to be moved from tribal court to state court for some damage claims.

One of those federal cases involved a personal injury claim involving the over-serving of alcohol at Santa Ana Pueblo’s casino. The other was a slip-and-fall lawsuit brought in state court by a visitor to the Navajo Nation’s casino in northwestern New Mexico.

Attorney Richard Hughes had filed a brief on behalf of Santa Ana and Santa Clara pueblos, with seven other pueblos signing on. He told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the ruling was significant and long overdue.

“We’ve been fighting state court jurisdiction over these cases for 20 years and so it’s the end of a long struggle to keep state courts out of determining tribal affairs,” he said.

He and others have argued that nowhere in the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act did Congress authorize state courts to exercise jurisdiction over personal injury claims.

The New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the ruling.

Those who have advocated to have state courts hear personal injury cases contend that the people suing tribal gambling operations could face an unfair disadvantage in tribal court.

Some experts expect personal injury lawyers to opt for arbitration before heading to tribal court, but Hughes said tribal courts are “perfectly competent to handle cases like this in a very fair and equitable fashion.”

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New Mexico

Route 66 stamps will make their debut later this year

Published

2 hours ago

March 11, 2026

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Route 66 stamps will make their debut later this year

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The U.S. Postal Service is commemorating the centennial anniversary of Route 66 with a set of eight stamps.

The stamps feature eight different photographs from each state that Route 66 runs through. For New Mexico, a photo shows a old Grants Cafe sign.

Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps and stamp pane using existing photographs by David J. Schwartz.

The stamps will make their debut at the National Postal Forum, also known as the NPF, at the Phoenix Convention Center on May 5. The event will be free and open to the public.

Route 66 was established on Nov. 11, 1926. It originally stretched about 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. Dubbed “The Mother Road” by author John Steinbeck, Route 66 became a national symbol of freedom and adventure.

News of the stamps is being shared online with the hashtag #Route66Stamps.

Lowrider stamps

In another nod to local car culture, the USPS will begin issuing its Lowrider Forever stamps in sheets of 15 beginning Friday.

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New Mexico

Federal court orders New Mexico prison officials to allow magazine’s delivery

Published

14 hours ago

March 11, 2026

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Federal court orders New Mexico prison officials to allow magazine’s delivery

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New Mexico

Tanya Tucker to perform at New Mexico State Fair

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Tanya Tucker to perform at New Mexico State Fair

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Tanya Tucker will perform at the 2026 New Mexico State Fair, officials announced Tuesday.

Tucker will take to the stage Friday, Sept. 18, after the Chevron PRCA rodeo. The Grammy Award-winning icon has racked up 10 No. 1 country hits since her first hit, “Delta Dawn,” at age 13.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring the legendary Tanya Tucker to the New Mexico State Fair,” said Dan Mourning, general manager of the New Mexico State Fair. “Tanya is one of the greatest icons in country music history and is the perfect fit for the Fair.”

Tucker has 23 Top-40 albums and 56 Top 40 singles on the Billboard country music charts. She has won two Country Music Association awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, three CMT Awards and two Grammys for Best Country Album and Best Country Song.

Tickets are set to go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m.

Here is the full 2026 New Mexico State Fair rodeo-concert lineup:

Friday, Sept. 11

Turnpike Troubadours with Chevron PRCA Xtreme Bulls

Saturday, Sept. 12

Ian Munsick with Chevron PRCA Xtreme Bulls

Wednesday, Sept. 16

Chevron PRCA Standalone Rodeo

Thursday, Sept. 17

Everclear with Chevron PRCA Rodeo

Friday, Sept. 18

Tanya Tucker with Chevron PRCA Rodeo