AZTEC, NM (KRQE) – District Judge Karen L. Townsend is retiring at the end of March He served for over 17 years as a District Judge in the Eleventh Judicial District.
Townsend was appointed by Governor Bill Richardson in 2006. According to the administrative office of the court, he has started a psychiatric treatment court program with Court Executive Officer Weldon Neff.
“The most rewarding part of my job is when I get stopped by someone in a grocery store or on the street and say, ‘Hey, you saved my life when you sent me for treatment.'” Judge Townsend said in a press release.
Townsend plans to remain active in the legal community after retirement. That could mean taking on a role in mediation or legal training, she says.
