Former Raton Magistrate Judge points to experience, fairness and timely justice
By Roger M. Rael
The Raton Range
RATON — Retirement did not settle well with Warren G. Walton.
Walton, the Republican candidate for Colfax County magistrate judge, Division 2, told The Raton Range he is seeking a return to the bench because he believes he still has work to do and experience to offer.
“I just don’t think retirement is for me,” Walton said. “I need to keep my mind busy.”
Walton retired in 2022 after serving 21 years on the magistrate bench in Raton. He said that experience extended beyond Colfax County. As a traveling judge, Walton filled in across New Mexico, hearing cases and seeing how different courts operated.
He also served for years with the New Mexico Magistrate Judges Association and eventually became its president. Walton said that work included advocating at the Legislature for court funding, improved facilities, and resources needed to keep court clerks working during lean budget years. He also served on a committee that trained new judges and later worked as a mentor.
Walton said some of the most meaningful moments of his career came when people who had appeared before him returned years later to say a sentence they once disliked helped them change direction.
His sentencing philosophy, Walton said, begins with following the law and carefully reviewing a person’s history. When the law allows discretion, treatment, counseling or probation may be appropriate in some cases. Repeat offenders who continue the same conduct, however, may require jail.
“When someone has demonstrated they’re not going to correct their behavior, that’s when the jail time comes out,” Walton said.
Walton also addressed changes in court technology. He said Raton’s court was moving toward a paperless system before he retired and that the COVID-19 pandemic required judges to learn remote hearings quickly. Courts remained open, he said, even when proceedings had to be conducted online.
On conflicts of interest, Walton said judges in small communities will often know people who enter their court. Knowing someone casually is different from having a close personal relationship, he said. Walton said he would recuse himself from a case involving a close friend or relative.
If elected, Walton said his first priority would be straightforward: Give every person a fair opportunity to be heard while keeping cases moving.
People may not always agree with a ruling, he said, but they should leave the courtroom knowing they were allowed to speak and present their evidence.
Walton also cited his seven years of Army service, during which he attained the rank of captain, along with his experience as a teacher and school board member. He also received a certificate of judicial studies from the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada.
“Nothing takes the place of hearing the evidence from both parties and deciding a case,” Walton said.
Editor’s note: This profile is part of The Raton Range’s 2026 election coverage. The Raton Range does not endorse political candidates. Candidate remarks may be edited for length and clarity without changing their meaning.
