Morris, Michele

Tom Montoya is a shareholder with Atkinson & Kelsey, practicing primarily in matrimonial law and marital property distribution. He attended Stanford University, obtained his J.D. Degree from the University of Southern California, and is a member of the American Law Institute.

Mr. Montoya has practiced family law for over 28 years and is a frequent lecturer before various groups on subjects relating to family law. He has written numerous articles on family law issues for various professional groups, including The American Journal of Family Law, the American Bar Association, the New Mexico Law Review, and the State Bar of New Mexico. He is the principal author and editor of New Mexico Domestic Relations Law and Forms (Michie-Butterworth, 1995). Mr. Montoya also has taught more than 45 Continuing Education Programs on family law. He has lobbied for more than 30 legislative enactments in family law, and testified before the New Mexico State Legislature over 60 times.

In 2009, Governor Bill Richardson appointed Mr. Montoya to a second, four-year term on the board of the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission. Mr. Montoya is also the past co-chair of the state Child Support Guidelines Committee, which promulgated statutory child support guidelines, and the past chair of the Supreme Court Civil Procedure Domestic Relations Rules Subcommittee, which created statewide rules of procedure for domestic relations and domestic violence cases.

He is a member of the State Bar of New Mexico, where he chaired the Family Law Section and Legislation Committee. He has lobbied for the following legislative actions: Joint Custody Legislation, Child Support Guidelines, Public Retirement Community Property Division, Child Custody Jurisdiction, Child Support Enforcement, Paternity Code, Quasi-Community Property Act, Grandparent Visitation Act, Spousal Support Amendments, Life Insurance as Insurance for Support, Death During Pending Divorce Statute, Mediation of Child Custody Disputes, Family Violence Protection Act Amendments, Child and Spousal Support Liens, Pre-Nuptial Agreement Act, Joinder of Spouses in Real Estate Transactions, and Post-Minority Child Support Amendments.

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