Merri Rudd

Merri Rudd served as the Probate Judge for Bernalillo County (Albuquerque), New Mexico from 2001 through 2010 and owns Abogada Press. Rudd received her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University and has been an attorney since 1986 when she graduated from UNM's School of Law. After clerking for the Honorable William W. Bivins on the New Mexico Court of Appeals, Rudd focused her practice on elder law, addressing the needs of Albuquerque's senior citizens. She worked at the Senior Citizens Law Office (SCLO), which provides selected free legal services to Bernalillo County seniors over 60, before starting her own law practice.

Rudd closed her law practice to focus on teaching, public speaking, and her judgeship. In 2013 she went on "inactive" status with the State Bar, but contributes to the elder law field in an academic capacity. Ms. Rudd taught wills, trusts and probate to TVI (now CNM) paralegal students and has served as an adjunct professor at the UNM Law School. In 2000 Rudd and Patrica Elliott presented a 5-part series on estate planning created by KNME-TV, the local PBS station for New Mexico, which aired statewide.

Rudd wrote a bi-weekly column "Ask the Probate Judge" for the Albuquerque Journal's Business Outlook for eight years, which helped many with their estate plans. She also wrote a legal column for Prime Time newspaper, which received the State Bar's Silver Gavel Award and the North American Mature Publishers Association's Best Entry in Editorial Category award.

In her spare time Rudd enjoys raising native wildflowers, hiking, swimming, contra dancing, bird watching, and ushering for AMP Concerts.