New Mexico Court Records
This entry was originally written by Karen Stein Daniel, CG and Margaret Windham for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
New Mexico's courts begin with actions close to the people. Magistrate courts handle civil cases such as tort, contract, and real property rights, among others. Probate courts are courts of limited jurisdiction with no jury trials. They hear informal probate matters and uncontested estate cases. Metropolitan and municipal courts handle city violations. Court records before 1912 are archived at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives and can be located through the 'Online Archive of New Mexico' at http://elibrary.unm.edu/oanm.
The next level above these local courts is the district courts, which are arranged into thirteen districts as listed below. These are courts of general jurisdiction, including probate and divorce actions, as well as jury trials.
First Judicial District includes Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Rio Arriba counties: Court Clerk, P.O. Box 2268, Santa Fe, NM 87504 www.firstdistrictcourt.com.
Second Judicial District includes Bernalillo County: Court Clerk, 400 Lomas NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 www.cabq.gov/cjnet/dst2alb.
Third Judicial District includes Doña Ana County: Court Clerk, 201 W. Picacho, Ste. A, Las Cruces, NM 88005 http://thirddistrictcourt.com/clerksoff1.htm.
Fourth Judicial District includes Guadalupe, Mora, and San Miguel counties: Court Clerk, P.O. Box 1540, Las Vegas, NM 87701-1540; 420 Parker Ave., Ste. 5, Santa Rosa, NM 88435.
Fifth Judicial District includes Lea, Eddy, and Chaves counties: Court Clerk, P.O. Box 1776, Roswell, NM 88202-1776; 102 N. Canal, Ste. 240, Carlsbad, NM 88220; Box 6-C, Lovington, NM 88260 < www.fifthdistrictcourt.com/loc.htm>.
Sixth Judicial District includes Grant, Hidalgo, and Luna counties: Court Clerk, 700 S. Silver, Deming, NM 88030; P.O. Box 608, Lordsburg, NM 88045; P.O. Box 2339, Silver City, NM 88061.
Seventh Judicial District includes Catron, Sierra, Socorro, and Torrance counties: Court Clerk, P.O. Box 78, Estancia, NM 87016; P.O. Drawer 1129, Socorro, NM 87801; P.O. Box 3009, Truth or Consequences, NM 87901.
Eighth Judicial District includes Colfax, Union, and Taos counties: Court Clerk, P.O. Box 310, Clayton, NM 88415; P.O. Box 150, Raton, NM 87740.
Ninth Judicial District includes Curry and Roosevelt counties: Court Clerk, 109 W. First St., Ste. 207, Portales, NM 88130; 700 N. Main, Ste. 11, Clovis, NM 88101.
Tenth Judicial District includes Quay, De Baca, and Harding counties: Court Clerk, P.O. Box 1067, Tucumcari, NM 88401; P.O. Box 910, Fort Sumner, NM 88119; P.O. Box 1002, Mosquero, NM 87733.
Eleventh Judicial District includes McKinley and San Juan counties: Court Clerk, 201 W. Hill St., Rm. 4, Gallup, NM 87301; 103 S. Oliver Dr., Aztec, NM 87410; 920 Municipal Dr., Farmington, NM 87401 www.eleventhdistrictcourt.state.nm.us.
Twelfth Judicial District includes Lincoln and Otero counties: Court Clerk, 100 New York Ave., Rm. 209, Alamogordo, NM 88310-6937; P.O. Box 725, Carrizozo, NM 88301.
Thirteenth Judicial District includes Sandoval, Cibola, and Valencia counties: Court Clerk, 100 Avenida de Justicia, Bernalillo, NM 87004; P.O. Box 758, Grants, NM 87020; P.O. Box 1089, Los Lunas, NM 87301.
Above the district courts, the state's Supreme Court reviews death penalty cases and necessary writs and may review cases from the courts of appeal. Located in Santa Fe, this is the court of last resort and has superintending control over inferior courts. The courts of appeal hear mandatory review of death penalty cases and may review other criminal cases and extraordinary writs.
