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NM Supreme Court does away with cap for contempt of court fines

The New Mexico Supreme Court issued an order doing away with a $1,000 cap for fines related to contempt of court charges and clarifying the types of contempt people can face. The court issued the opinion in mid-March, which “eliminated a cap of $1,000 on the fines that can be imposed for contempt of court in New Mexico without a jury trial for the person subject to the punishment.” NMSC justices also issued an opinion changing the classification of “civil” and “criminal” contempt to “remedial” and “punitive” contempt to “more accurately reflect the distinctions between different types of contempt.” Civil, or remedial contempt, is a sanction to compel a person to comply with a court mandate —while criminal contempt punishes a person for being disobedient or disrespectful towards the court.

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Voters to decide in 2024 on expanding property tax exemption for vets with disabilities

Colorado voters will decide on a constitutional amendment in 2024 that would expand the homestead property tax exemption for veterans with service-related disabilities. Currently, veterans in Colorado who are rated as 100% permanently disabled qualify for a homestead property tax exemption that exempts 50% of the first $200,000 of a property’s actual value from property taxes.

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More unknown WWII incident highlighted through NMDVS video

A video produced by the New Mexico Department of Veteran Affairs is bringing increased light and understanding to the impacts of Japan’s actions ahead of America’s involvement in World War II. “Bataan Remembrance Day Commemorated in Santa Fe,New Mexico (2023),” released April 15, strives to capture the emotions of the annual ceremony, in addition to offering a historical recounting of the Dec.

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Trinidad library works to improve internal climate control

Patrons of the Trinidad Carnegie Public Library can expect improved climate conditions at the local library after it completes a project to address deficiencies in its HVAC system. The system, which has reportedly not been replaced since before October 2020, has failed at times, leading to closures of the library for small spurts on extreme cold and extreme heat days, according to Jessica Huffman, TCPL director.

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