One of the important rights a Defendant has is the right to excuse a Judge for any reason. Both the Rules for the District Court and Metropolitan/Magistrate Court allow a Defendant (and for that matter the State) to excuse a judge for any reason if filed within ten days after the arraignment. A Defendant may want to do this for a variety of reasons and it is especially important to work with an attorney who has been in front of the judges in the areas in which they are appearing. As an attorney for over 24 years I have appeared many magistrate and district courts across our fine State and have that knowledge. Should you have any questions on whether you should excuse a judge because you have been charged with a crime, please call me at 505-247-9500 for a free consultation. This information does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.