The county hospital appeal filed on behalf of nine plaintiffs last summer is now awaiting its assignment to a panel of judges, according to an official with the New Mexico Court of Appeals.

All briefs have been filed. The 20-day period in which the plaintiffs could file the final brief — the Reply Brief — passed this week. The court official said that brief was filed on March 25.

No motion was submitted for oral arguments, as would likely have occurred during the submission of the Reply Brief, which means the case will go directly to a panel of judges for a decision, who may request oral arguments.

The case appears on the court’s “ready list” as “28679 R. Cordova v. Valencia County 03/19/09.” One of the nine plaintiffs is Raoul J. Cordova.

According to the court, the case will be scheduled with a panel of judges, and after reviewing the case, they will make a decision. The side that loses the decision will then have 15 days to request a rehearing.

The case has been in the appeals process since the plaintiffs lost the first round in District Court last June.

This page was published on April 17, 2009 at 9:48am and is filed under Archive.