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New Mexico · How-To Guide

How do I access court records?

District Court Clerk (county level - 13 judicial districts covering NM's 33 counties) / Magistrate and Metropolitan Court (local) / New Mexico Supreme Court (state level)
Step by Step

How to do it

  1. Identify what type of record you need: District Court (felonies, civil over $10,000, domestic relations, probate), Magistrate Court (misdemeanors, civil up to $10,000, traffic, small claims up to $10,000), Metropolitan Court (Bernalillo County only: same jurisdiction as Magistrate), or NM Supreme Court/Court of Appeals
  2. Search online:
  3. NEW MEXICO COURTS CASE LOOKUP (eCourts): caselookup.nmcourts.gov - New Mexico's statewide case search portal; covers District Court, Magistrate Court, and Metropolitan Court cases; search by name or case number; free public access
  4. BERNALILLO COUNTY METROPOLITAN COURT: metrocourt.bernco.gov - Bernalillo County's Metropolitan Court has its own online portal
  5. For full case documents or certified copies: contact the Court Clerk in the district where the case was filed
  6. In-person access: visit the courthouse; bring photo ID and case details
Details

What you need to know

Required Docs
  • Valid photo ID (for in-person requests)
  • Case number or full legal name of parties
Fee
eCourts online case search: free for basic case information; certified copies: varies by court; contact specific court clerk
Processing Time
Immediate online searches; same day or by mail for certified copies
Online Option
Yes - eCourts at caselookup.nmcourts.gov (statewide - good resource)
Where to Go
District Court Clerk in the judicial district where the case was filed
County-specific variations apply

NM's 13 judicial districts each cover different combinations of counties. First Judicial District: Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Los Alamos. Second Judicial District: Bernalillo (Albuquerque) - busiest. Third Judicial District: Doña Ana (Las Cruces). Fifth Judicial District: Chaves (Roswell), Eddy (Carlsbad), Lea (Lovington). Bernalillo County has both District Court AND the Metropolitan Court (a unique NM institution). Some rural NM judicial districts cover multiple counties with limited staffing.

New Mexico Notes

Important state-specific details

  • NM eCourts (caselookup.nmcourts.gov): New Mexico's statewide public case lookup; covers District Court, Magistrate, and Metropolitan Court cases statewide.
  • Marriage records: at the county Clerk where license was issued (NOT court records).
  • Divorce records: at the District Court where the divorce was granted.
  • New Mexico Supreme Court and Court of Appeals opinions: nmcourts.gov.
  • Criminal history background checks: New Mexico Department of Public Safety, Records Management Bureau - dps.nm.gov; fee-based.
  • New Mexico Sex Offender Registry: nmsexoffender.dps.nm.gov - searchable online.
  • Juvenile records: sealed; special access rules.
  • New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA, NMSA § 14-2-1): public bodies must respond within 15 business days.
Official Source

State office contact

State Office
New Mexico Courts - nmcourts.gov | (505) 827-4800; eCourts case lookup: caselookup.nmcourts.gov; NM DPS (criminal history) - dps.nm.gov | (505) 827-9001