District Judge forced to resign

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) - A New Mexico District Court Judge was forced to resign after allegations of misconduct.

Honorable Eugenio Mathis has sat on the bench as a District Court Judge in Las Vegas since 1992.

His tenure though ended dishonorably Thursday with the Supreme Court forcing him to resign.

The resignation stems from hundreds of instant messages he exchanged with this wife, Michelle Pino-Mathis  who works as a court clerk supervisor at the same courthouse.

The two would chat about everything from what they were having for lunch to co-workers they were annoyed with and more.

In one message the two joke about getting busy in a jury room at the courthouse because a co-worker has to test the alarm with the Judge saying, "don't come knocking if the jury room is rocking."

News 13 interviewed Mathis in 2006 at the time he told News 13 he made his rulings based on well established rule of law and well established rules of evidence.

According to court documents Mathis messaged his wife excessively while presiding over hearings and trials, even giving his opinion on defendants and what the verdict would be.

The allegations did not end there.

Mathis is also accused of undermining Pino-Mathis' busses and letting her go unchecked at work while she paid bills, shopped online and even threatened violence against co-workers.

In one message she told her husband something needs to change at work because she was, "on the verge of going postal."

Judge Mathis' resignation was effective as of 5 pm Thursday, as part of the deal he can never be a judge in New Mexico again.

It is not clear if his wife was able to keep her job at the courthouse.