Eighth Judicial District Court Reintroduces Civil Mediation & Settlement Program

EIGHTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT
Serving Taos, Colfax & Union Counties
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Aug. 10, 2026
Eighth Judicial District Court reintroduces civil mediation &
settlement program
Providing litigants an accessible pathway to resolve disputes outside the courtroom
TAOS — The Eighth Judicial District Court announces the reintroduction of its Alternative
Dispute Resolution (ADR) Civil Mediation & Settlement Program. The program offers litigants an
accessible pathway to resolve disputes outside of the courtroom.
Any person who has a civil or probate matter pending in the Eighth Judicial District of Taos,
Colfax, and Union Counties may file a request asking the Court to send the parties to mediation
in an effort to negotiate a settlement. Through this process, participants are given the opportunity
to work toward a resolution on their own terms, with the guidance of a neutral mediator.
“The Eighth Judicial District Court’s Civil Mediation program has resumed with the goal
of helping litigants resolve disputes, with solutions they help to create,” said Beverly
Kuhn, Project Coordinator. “The purpose of mediation is to guide participants to a
voluntary settlement, avoiding the courtroom.”
Holly L. Healy, Program Manager for Family Support Services, Dispute Resolution, and
Court User Innovation, added, “We are so glad to be able to once again provide these
services to our court users. We are encouraged by the positive outcomes so far and are
looking to ensure that our program can continue well into the future.”
A version of the program existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in a different format. When the
ADR Committee convened to plan the new version of the program, members discussed what they
considered the strengths and weaknesses of the former program. Rather than rebuild upon the
previous structure, however, the Committee designed an entirely new program. Today, the
program operates as part of the Court’s Help Desk program, whereas in the past the responsibility
of administering and overseeing the program fell to the judges’ assistants.
“Mediation allows the parties in a dispute to resolve their differences in a mutually
agreeable way that can be faster and less costly than lengthy litigation,” said Healy.
Program Access & Contact Information
The Eighth District Help Desk is available to assist court users with requests and questions
regarding the Civil Mediation & Settlement Program.
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; Friday, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Phone: (575) 758-3173, extension 634
Email: 8thhelpdesk@nmcourts.gov
Location: Clerk’s Office, Taos County Courthouse, 105 Albright St., Taos, NM 87571
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For more information regarding the ADR Civil Mediation & Settlement Program, please contact the Eighth
District Help Desk using the information listed above.