WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION ACT

SB 51, the Wrongful Conviction Compensation Act, creates a legal process for people wrongfully convicted of misdemeanors or felonies in New Mexico state court to seek compensation after being declared innocent. To qualify, individuals must prove through court evidence that they were convicted for a crime they didn’t commit or that the crime wasn’t committed, and that their conviction was overturned, reversed, or vacated based on innocence. The bill establishes a compensation fund to pay exonerated individuals for time served in jail or prison, plus additional damages, with claims filed in district court. It modifies existing laws, including the Indigent Defense Act, to allow recovery of funds used to pay for legal aid in wrongful conviction cases. The bill requires petitioners to meet specific evidence standards and outlines court procedures for processing claims.