A Defender From Day One
I graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2000 and went straight to work as a criminal defense lawyer — not a prosecutor, not corporate law, a defender. I have been licensed to practice law in New Mexico since 2000. I started at the New Mexico Public Defender Department as a felony defender in northern New Mexico, and I began trying serious felony cases almost as soon as I passed the bar. I have never worked for the other side. Defending people is the only kind of law I have ever practiced.
In 2003, I opened Nieto Law Office in Albuquerque. I have kept it a one-lawyer firm on purpose. I believe I give people the most hands-on, personal representation by doing the work myself instead of running a big firm with heavy overhead and a lot of employees. We keep a small, dedicated staff and a reasonably sized caseload so that every client gets real attention in what is often the hardest moment of their life.
The Courtroom Is Home
I have tried criminal cases in nearly every judicial district in New Mexico, as well as in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. I have tried cases to juries and to judges — nearly 100 jury and bench trials over the years — in matters ranging from DWI all the way up to first-degree murder. To me, the courtroom is home.
All of that trial experience has made me a sharper litigator, and it changes how I prepare every case. Most cases never reach a jury, but the terms of a resolution are usually shaped by whether the other side believes you are actually ready to try the case. So I prepare each matter as if it will go to trial: I look at the evidence early, I interview witnesses, and I test the prosecution’s theory instead of taking it at face value.
I have also seen the indifference that State and federal prosecutors can bring to a case, and the way the system can treat people as less than human. I have stood up to that in the courtroom, without flinching, to protect my clients’ rights and their futures.
Where you’ll find me in court: the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, where most Albuquerque DWI and misdemeanor cases are first heard; the Second Judicial District Court, which handles Bernalillo County felonies; the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe; and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.
Standing Up for Victims, Too
Alongside my criminal practice, I am proud to represent plaintiffs — ordinary people who have been harmed — on the civil side. That work ranges from liquor liability (Dram Shop) claims and negligent security cases to car-crash personal injury. I represent people in insurance bad-faith disputes, and I have handled cases involving death from police shootings, death from police misconduct, and catastrophic injury and death caused by private violence.
Whether the case is criminal or civil, the through-line is the same: someone is up against a much more powerful adversary, and they need a lawyer who will actually fight.
How I Work With You
When you call, you talk to me. I take cases one at a time and I handle them myself, so you are never handed off. I will listen to your whole story, tell you honestly what you are facing, and explain your options in plain language. I cannot promise a particular outcome — no honest lawyer can — but I can promise that I will prepare your case thoroughly and stand with you the whole way.
And if it is easier for you or your family to talk this through in Spanish, we can do that. Hablamos español.
The first call is free, and I answer your questions myself. Learn what to expect, or call (505) 247-1973.
