New Mexico court Records

Why New Mexico Court Records are Available to the Public?

In 1925, the New Mexico State Legislature passed a law named the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act. This law was enabled with the last changes in the late 1990s and aims to ensure disclosure of court records and other public records to the public.

What Court Records Access Means To You?

The law is similar to the New Mexico Open Meeting Law legislates the methods by which public meetings are conducted. The New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act intent is that all records maintained by state and local government entities be available for public access and copying.

Accountability to the Public

When the legislature enacted New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act, it expressively declared that access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state, Public Records Inspection Request. The New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act last revised statute includes a statement of legislative intent that engenders a policy that favors disclosure of all public records and court records, as a representative government is dependent upon an informed electorate. By promoting prompt public access to government records, the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act is intended to safeguard the accountability of government to the public.

How the New Mexico Court Process Functions?

Most cases in Mexico courts begin in one of the 33 superior or trial courts located in each of the state’s 33 counties.

The next level of judicial authority resides with the Court of Appeals. Most cases before the Court of Appeals involves the review of a superior court decision being contested by a party involved in the case.

The Supreme Court serves as the highest court in the state and has the discretion to review decisions of the Court of Appeals in order to settle important questions of law and to resolve conflicts among the Court of Appeals.

Some differences between Civil Court and Small Claims Court below

 You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to file or defend a case in Small Claims Court. If you do not speak English well, bring someone who speaks English and asks the judge if that person can serve as your interpreter. The court cannot provide you an interpreter.

You can find an interpreter by using the New Mexico Courts Interpreter Search page. Also, see the webpage with interpreter information on this website Language Services Available.

How New Mexico Court Records Are Structured?

The court records category is made up of civil and small claims matters.

Civil cases are matters where the petitioner is seeking more than $200,000. Close to 250,000 civil court records are filed with the courts annually. Civil cases also include other types of disputes that do not involve money, like cases to resolve (or “quiet”) title to real property, cases asking for civil restraining orders and requests to change your name or your child’s name.

Small Claims Court filings are cases where the petitioner is seeking $10,000 or less and is not represented by counsel. Close to 100,000 of small claims cases are filed statewide every year.

Here are some examples of common Small Claims Court cases:

• Your former landlord refuses to return the security deposit you paid.
• Someone dents your fender and refuses to pay for the repairs.
• Your new TV does not work, and the store will not fix it.
• Your tenant caused damage to the apartment, and the repairs cost more than their security deposit (Note: You cannot use small claims court to evict someone.).
• You lent money to a friend, and he/she refuses to pay you back.
• Small Claims Court can also order a defendant to do something, as long as the claim is also asking for money. For example, the court can cancel a contract or the court can order your neighbor to pay you for your lawn mower or order them to return it to you right away.