New Mexico’s state public defender’s office says a recent cybersecurity breach could cause delays to court proceedings across the state.
SANTA FE, N.M. — The New Mexico Public Defender’s Office has suffered a cybersecurity breach, officials said, which could cause delays to some court proceedings across the state.
The New Mexico Public Defender’s Office said the intrusion began last Thursday. A timeline for restoration was not immediately available.
According to the New Mexico Department of Justice website, New Mexico has 13 district courts, 54 magistrate courts, 81 municipal courts, probate courts, and other specialty courts.
The statewide public defender’s office provides legal representation to low-income people facing criminal charges and is the state’s largest, with 13 offices and more than 400 employees, and contracts with about 100 private attorneys.
The department said cybersecurity issues had prevented staff from accessing some internal records and had also caused delays in communications with clients, lawyers and the courts.
“Email has historically been the primary means for sending discovery, motions, correspondence and negotiations with prosecutors,” department spokeswoman Maggie Shepherd said. “Now all of that has essentially been suspended.”
Shepherd said the extent of the breach was still unknown, but that it did not immediately appear that personal information of clients or contracted lawyers was exposed.
Meanwhile, she said the department is in contact with New Mexico courts and clients in person, by phone and by fax.