Gary Risley was sworn in Monday as the probate judge for San Juan County, N.M.
Risley, who had previously served two terms as probate judge before he was term-limited, was selected by the San Juan County commissioners at their Dec. 15 meeting to replace Stacey Biel, who was elected to a magistrate judge position in November. He will fill the remaining two years of her original term.
The office of probate judge handles informal probate proceedings. Probate is the process of gathering assets, paying the bills and transferring the property of someone who has died so that title to the decedent’s property may be legally vest in his or her heirs as provided in a will or by state law. The San Juan County clerk is the clerk for the probate court.
Risley was selected by the commission from numerous applicants who had applied to fill the vacancy. Two people were nominated by commission members to fill the vacancy, and Risley was selected on a 4-1 vote of the commission.
