Former Judge Duran returns to Las Cruces

Former District Judge Grace Duran has returned to Las Cruces.

Duran, the first woman elected to the Third Judicial District Court bench in Doña Ana County, left that job in May 2005 to head the U.S. Homeland Security Department’s Customs Enforcement Law Division in Puerto Rico.

According to an advertisement in today’s Las Cruces Bulletin, she’s back in town and has opened a law office. Duran’s practice is general but will focus on domestic relations issues.

Duran was first elected in November 1996. She was a child support hearing officer and domestic violence commissioner from 1991 to 1996, and was in private practice before that.

Duran is married to Udell Vigil, who heads the City of Las Cruces public information office. They have two sons.

I have a call in to Duran but, thus far, haven’t been able to reach her.