Probate judge disqualification; transfer.

A. Whenever a probate judge shall, for any reason, be interested or disqualified from acting in any proceeding coming within the jurisdiction of the probate court, the judge shall, upon the judge's own motion or that of any interested party, immediately enter an order transferring the proceeding and file the order with the clerk of the probate court. B. Upon receipt of an order of recusal or disqualification, the clerk of the probate court shall give written notice to the district court of the county in which the probate court is situate, and the district court shall transfer the case to the district court or designate another probate judge to conduct further proceedings. If designating another probate judge, the district court shall give preference to probate judges serving within the same judicial district. Upon receipt by the clerk of the probate court of a district court designation, the clerk of the probate court shall send a copy of the designation to the parties or their counsel, to the designated district or probate judge and to the recused or disqualified judge. C. A probate judge who has accepted a designation by the district court has jurisdiction to sit in any action arising in any other probate district when designated for a specific case or for a specific period of time. A probate judge acting in another probate district by designation shall include the cases heard by designation in the probate judge's own reports to the district court, indicating on the reports that the probate court's jurisdiction is by designation. D. The board of county commissioners of the county of the recused or disqualified probate judge shall reimburse the district judge or probate judge sitting by designation for expenses incurred pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act [10-8-1 to 10-8-8 NMSA 1978].