Barbara J. Vigil

Barbara J. Vigil is an American attorney and jurist who served as a justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court from 2012 to 2021.

Early life and education
Vigil was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from New Mexico State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Career
Prior to being elected to the bench, Vigil operated a private practice in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She also served as a Children’s Court and state district judge before her time on the Supreme Court.

She was elected to the court on November 6, 2012, defeating temporary appointee Paul J. Kennedy and assuming office in December 2012 to fill the remainder of retired Justice Patricio M. Serna's unexpired term. Vigil was retained by voters in a retention election on November 8, 2016. Her term would have expired in 2024. In April 2021, she announced her retirement effective June 30, 2021. On August 21, 2021, Governor Lujan Grisham appointed Vigil as the Cabinet Secretary for New Mexico Children, Youth and Families, a position she held until May 1, 2023. Since then she has served on the Governor's Policy Advisory Council that was established by Executive Order 2023-020.