Hon. Emeterio L. Rudolfo is a judge for the 2nd Judicial District Court of New Mexico in Bernalillo County. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on October 17, 2022.
Prior to his appointment, Rudolfo primarily handled criminal defense work at his own private practice for twenty-five years. Before opening his law practice, he spent three years with the Public Defender’s Office.
He received a B.A. in criminal justice from the University of New Mexico in 1991. Rudolfo went on to complete a J.D. at the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1995.
He was admitted to practice in New Mexico, the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
His memberships included the Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Trial Lawyers Association, and the Hispanic Bar Association. Rudolfo also sat on the San Juan College Labor Relations Board and was a past member of the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission.
He was also involved with the Boys and Girls Club and served as a volunteer mock trial judge and a volunteer at Metro Court and District Court Legal Clinics.
Rudolfo was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he attended Rio Grande High School. Both of his parents were also born and raised in New Mexican. Rudolfo and his wife have two daughters.
He is registered as a Democrat.