Heinrich, Luján Announce Senate Confirmation Of Matthew L. Garcia For U.S. District For The District Of New Mexico

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) voted to confirm Matthew L. Garcia of Albuquerque to serve as a U.S. District Judge for the District of New Mexico. The senators recommended that President Joe Biden nominate Garcia for this seat, which is based in Albuquerque. The Senate voted to confirm Garcia by a final vote of 53 to 46.

Senators Heinrich and Luján strongly recommended Garcia to join the District Court of New Mexico and welcomed President Joe Biden’s nomination. The senators introduced Garcia in a hearing with the full Senate Committee on the Judiciary last October.

“It is my honor to vote to confirm Matthew Garcia, President Biden’s nominee to fill the vacant seat on the U.S. District Court of New Mexico. Mr. Garcia was born, raised, and built his legal career in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where this District Court seat is based. An undergraduate and law school alum of the University of New Mexico, Mr. Garcia has cultivated a deep connection with the Land of Enchantment and genuinely cares for his fellow New Mexicans. I am confident that Mr. Garcia will continue a proud legacy of fair and committed federal judges in New Mexico,” said Heinrich.

“I was proud to vote to confirm Matthew Garcia to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. Throughout the confirmation process, Mr. Garcia made it clear that he will be a fair and impartial judge for New Mexicans,” said Luján. “Mr. Garcia brings to the bench deep roots in the community, strong professional experience, and a commitment public service. I look forward to his investiture on the court. Earlier today, the Senate confirmed the 100th judicial nominee, and I look forward to another Congress of confirming a historically diverse slate of judicial nominees.”

Matthew L. Garcia has served in the Office of New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham as Chief of Staff from 2020 to 2022 and General Counsel from 2019 to 2020. From 2012 to 2018, he was a partner at Garcia Ives Nowara in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and from 2009 to 2012, he was a partner at Bach & Garcia in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mr. Garcia had his own solo practice from 2008 to 2009. From 2006-2008 Mr. Garcia was an associate at Freedman Boyd Daniels Hollander Goldberg & Ives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mr. Garcia received his J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2005, an M.P.P. from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 2003, and a B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of New Mexico in 1999.

Garcia’s nomination received strong state and local support. Find a list with links to letters of support by clicking here.