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SANTA FE — Seven people, including three judges, have been recommended for appointment to a vacancy on New Mexico's highest court.

A judicial nominating commission agreed on the candidates Monday after interviewing 15 applicants for the seat on the state Supreme Court.

The seven nominees will be forwarded to Gov. Bill Richardson to fill the vacancy created last month by the death of Justice Pamela Minzner.

Recommended to the governor were:

• Charles W. Daniels, an Albuquerque criminal defense lawyer.

• State General Services Secretary Arturo L. Jaramillo.

• Edward R. Ricco, an Albuquerque lawyer specializing in appellate law.

• Judge Robert E. Robles of the 3rd Judicial District in Do¤a Ana County.

• Maureen A. Sanders, an Albuquerque lawyer who is a former professor at the University of New Mexico law school.

• Judge Linda M. Vanzi of the 2nd Judicial District in Bernalillo County.

• State Court of Appeals Judge Michael E. Vigil.

It will be Richardson's second appointment to the Supreme Court. He named Justice Edward Chavez in January 2003.

Also applying for the court vacancy were:

• Judge James W. Counts of the 12th Judicial District in Lincoln and Otero counties.

• Peter V. Culbert, a Santa Fe attorney in private practice.

• Thomas L. Dunigan, a Santa Fe attorney and former state deputy attorney general.

• Amme M. Hogan, an attorney at the state Workers' Compensation Administration.

• Robert P. McNeill, an Albuquerque attorney.

• Alfonso G. Sanchez, a Santa Fe-area attorney and former district attorney.

• Judge Sam B. Sanchez of the 8th Judicial District in Colfax, Taos and Union counties.

• Norman F. Weiss, an Albuquerque attorney who specializes in medical malpractice and defending governments in litigation.

Minzner's unexpired term on the court runs through 2010. Richardson's appointee will have to run in a partisan election next year to keep the seat. Whoever wins the election will serve the remainder of Minzner's term before starting a new eight-year term.