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Marie Garcia
Running unopposed, Marie Garcia is set to serve a second term as the Cibola County Probate Judge. Working in probate, Garcia primarily works to resolve issues about property which arise after a person’s death.
Garcia is running unopposed on the Democrat ballot for the June 7 election, she will advance to the general election in
November where she will not face a Republican candidate and will serve a second term in the probate court.
Garcia said that she is working to make the court more comfortable for families.
“People think that we need to be in a large court room and argue, that’s not the case,” Garcia said, “We just walk into my office and we can resolve any issues.”
For Garcia, the most challenging part of the position is having to search for affected parties – or, people who are somehow involved in the deceased person’s will. “Everybody has different schedules, and we have to work around those, but we always make it work.”
The part she finds challenging is also why the probate is so rewarding, Garcia explained, “I like helping people. Probate might seem like a hardship but what we ultimately decide is done to help everyone involved.”
As part of the commitment she has to the probate court, Garcia has attended a number of conferences to better understand the rules and conditions of the job. Recently, she said, the State of New Mexico held a virtual judicial conference where she was able to speak with other probate judges and discuss how they manage the court.
For her part, Garcia said that she follows the law and guidelines that are already in place for her work. The probate court is running smoothly, she said, and thanks the people of Cibola County for trusting her with the probate office.
Garcia does not expect any major shakeups in her office or the way decisions are made, and is looking for another successful term of helping the people of Cibola County.