New Mexico Public Records, Arrest Records and Jail Roster

New Mexico Public Records

The government of New Mexico does make provisions for granting the public access to the state’s public records. Most public records are easily accessible to the public.

The New Mexico Commission of Public Records manages all state’s public records.? The inspection of Public Records Act makes public records available to the general public. Under the Act, most public records in the state are available for copying and viewing by the general public. There are few exceptions, which include trade secrets, letters of reference, medical records of persons who are residing in institutions, law enforcement records that expose confidential sources, letters of opinion in employee or student files, and tactical response plans for terrorist attacks and other emergencies.

New Mexico Criminal Records

All official state background checks are handled by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. The New Mexico State Central Repository for Criminal History maintains all arrest records.

To obtain your own criminal records, you need to submit a completed authorization for the release of such information to the state’s Department of Public Safety. Criminal justice and law enforcement agencies are the only third parties that may obtain full criminal records.

Criminal records in New Mexico are rarely expunged. The state allows the arrest records and jail records to be expunged only if the arrest was for just a misdemeanor or it was a less charge and there are no records of disposition that can be found. Generally, convictions cannot be expunged. However, DNA records may be removed from the database of the state under some circumstances.

New Mexico arrest records, as well as inmate and jail records can be accessed through an online “Office Search”, tool which is maintained by the New Mexico Corrections Department. Jail and criminal records information made accessible to the general public is typically limited to full name, age, sex, dates and location of incarceration and release.

New Mexico Court Records

The New Mexico Judicial Branch manages the current court records. The general public can use an online search tool at the website of the New Mexico Judicial Branch to access court records. Court records are available also from the state’s court clerk of every judicial court.

New Mexico Vital Records

Birth and death records are maintained and issued by the New Mexico Department of Health. You can only obtain copies of divorce decrees and marriage licenses from the counties where they were issued.

Even though the Department of Health doesn’t specify which date from which the records are unavailable, very old records might not be available. You will have to pay $5 as a search fee for each record for death certificate and $10 as a search fee for every record for the birth certificate

• Birth records: Statewide registration of births began in 1920 but there was no compliance until 1930. There was no requirement for each county in New Mexico to keep birth records until 1907. However, there are birth records existing for some counties from the 1880s. All these records are now available at the Vital Statistics Bureau. All birth certificates become public records after 100 years from the date of issue.
• Death records: The church register, city or town offices had been registering death records in the state of New Mexico from very early times. These records are collected from the New Mexico Newspaper, New Mexico Cemetery Records, and the New Mexico Church Records. All records have been indexed at New Mexico Family Search Historical Records and New Mexico Department of Health. Death certificates become public records after 50 years from the date of death.
• Marriage records: Marriage records have been kept in New Mexico as early as 1751. Most of these records are not complete. The New Mexico Marriages Family Search Historical Records now keeps all marriage records.
• Divorce records: Divorce records in the state of New Mexico are only available from the district court’s clerk in the particular county where the final decree was made.

New Mexico makes it extremely easy for the general public to obtain public records. By meeting all the requirements, you will be able to obtain the records you need.

New Mexico State Court System

Understanding how the system of New Mexico state court works is very important as it helps you find court records easily.

New Mexico Courts Overview

To make your work easier, start searching for court records in New Mexico by simply going to courts by county.

The trial court system of New Mexico State consists of Municipal Courts, Probate Courts, Magistrate Courts, Metropolitan Courts, and District Courts.

District Courts

District Courts have general jurisdiction to handle all types of cases, but usually handle only those cases that other courts have no jurisdiction over.

Criminal cases usually heard by these courts include some misdemeanors, lesser-included offenses, felonies, and preliminary hearings for all kinds of criminal cases. Typical civil cases include general civil claims for less more than $10,000 in dispute, exclusive of costs and interest. They also handle juvenile delinquency, domestic relations, mental health, domestic violence, appeals of orders from administrative agencies, child protection, formal probate proceedings, conservatorship, guardianship, trusts, naturalization, and disputes over boundary or titles of real property.

District Courts have Children’s Court divisions that handle certain types of juvenile cases, such as child neglect, the emancipation of minors, child abuse, juvenile delinquency and adoption.

They share original jurisdiction over all types of informal probate matters with Probate Courts. They hear all types of formal probate cases. They also share jurisdiction with Metropolitan Courts and Magistrate Courts over most misdemeanor criminal cases. District Courts also share jurisdiction with Probate Courts where a Probate Court has the authority to handle misdemeanor criminal cases.

Metropolitan Courts

New Mexico Counties of a particular size are required to set up Metropolitan Courts with exclusive jurisdiction to handle certain types of criminal and civil cases.

Criminal cases generally heard by these courts include most violations of municipal and county ordinances, traffic violations, DWI/DUI, misdemeanors, and preliminary hearings for all criminal cases. Typical civil cases include most general civil claims involving less than $10,000, exclusive of costs and interest, including torts, quasi-contracts, landlord-tenant disputes and contracts.

Metropolitan Courts cannot handle certain types of cases, such as domestic relations, guardianships, disputes over boundary or title of real property, and certain types of civil cases.

These courts share jurisdiction with District Courts over most misdemeanor Criminal cases and preliminary hearings. Metropolitan Courts may also handle contested cases that involve violations of parking.

Magistrate Courts

These courts have exclusive jurisdiction over certain types of criminal and civil cases. Civil cases that Magistrate Courts generally hear include majority of general civil claims involving less than $10,000, excluding costs and interest.

Criminal cases generally heard by these courts include county ordinance violations, petty misdemeanors, most misdemeanors, and all criminal cases.

Magistrate Courts cannot hear certain types of cases, including slander, libel, malicious prosecution, domestic relations, dependency, adoption, request for injunctive relief, land titles, and guardianships.

Probate Courts

These courts have exclusive jurisdiction to handle informal estate and informal probate matters. District Courts hear contested estate and probate matters. ?Probate Courts also have jurisdiction over heirship of real property in the informal administration of the estates.

They cannot handle many other types of cases, including misconduct in office, slander, libel, malicious prosecution, misconduct in office, requests for injunctive relief, and many disputes connected to the boundary or title to real estate.

Municipal Courts

These courts have exclusive jurisdiction to handle all types of violations of municipal ordinances, such as driving when intoxicated. Municipal Courts may also hear contested cases that involve violations of any campus traffic regulation.

The Official Website of New Mexico County

Albuquerque Official website for the City of Albuquerque, N.M.
Las Cruces Las Cruces, NM | Official Website
Rio Rancho The Official Site of Rio Rancho, NM | Official Website
Santa Fe City of Santa Fe, New Mexico – official City of Santa Fe government website Santa Fe, New Mexico – Official City of Santa Fe government website provides information and online services for residents of, businesses in, and visitors to Santa Fe, New Mexico
Roswell Roswell, NM | Official Website
Farmington Farmington, NM – Official Website
Clovis City of Clovis, New Mexico
Hobbs City of Hobbs
Alamogordo Alamogordo, NM | Official Website
Carlsbad Carlsbad, New Mexico – Official City Website
Gallup Gallup, NM – Official Website
Deming All About Deming, New Mexico! Deming, New Mexico – The Deming, New Mexico, home page contains information for everyone from residents to possible visitors to businesses.
Los Lunas Los Lunas, NM – Official Site | Official Website
Sunland Park Sunland Park City of Sunland Park official website
Las Vegas City of Las Vegas Welcome to Las Vegas, New Mexico
Bernalillo County Official Bernalillo County Website
Dona Ana County Dona Ana County
Santa Fe County Santa Fe County
Sandoval County Sandoval County Government – New Mexico | News, Info, Alerts & More From government department contacts and zoning information to the latest news and updates, you can find all the info you need about Sandoval County in New Mexico right here!
San Juan County San Juan County, New Mexico – Local Government
Valencia County Valencia County, NM | Official Website
McKinley County McKinley County, NM | Official Website
Chaves County Chaves County, NM | Official Website
Otero County Otero County New Mexico
Lea County Lea County, New Mexico Official Site for Lea County New Mexico
Eddy County Eddy County, NM | Official Website
Curry County Curry County, NM
Rio Arriba County Rio Arriba County Home Page
Taos County Taos County, NM | Official Website
Grant County Grant County Official Web Site for Grant County
San Miguel County San Miguel County
Cibola County Welcome to Cibola County, New Mexico
Luna County Welcome to Luna County, New Mexico
Lincoln County Lincoln County New Mexico – website
Roosevelt County Roosevelt County |
Los Alamos County Los Alamos County
Socorro County Socorro County InfoNet Central information site for Socorro County
Torrance County Torrance County, New Mexico
Colfax County Welcome to Colfax County, New Mexico
Sierra County Visit Sierra County New Mexico – The Home of Spaceport America! Visit Sierra County – home to Truth or Consequences (and its hot springs), Elephant Butte (and its lake), historic towns, Spaceport America, & more!
Quay County Quay County
Hidalgo County Hidalgo County, NM
Mora County Mora County
Guadalupe County Guadalupe County
Union County Union County NM
Catron County Welcome to Catron County, NM
De Baca County DeBaca County NM
Harding County Harding County

New Mexico Jail Roster

Detention Center Custody List Bernalillo County Inmate List
Search An Inmate – Cibola County, NM Cibola County Inmate Search
Inmates Online | Do?a Ana County Dona Ana County Inmate Search
Otero County New Mexico Otero County Detention Center
Rio Arriba Public Inmate Information Rio Arriba County Jail Inmates
Inmate Search – Sandoval County Sandoval County Inmate Lookup
Adult Detention Center – San Juan County San Juan County Detention Center
San MiguelJail Logs San Miguel County Jail Inmate Log
Santa Fe County : Corrections : Adult Correctional Facility : Inmate Lookup Santa Fe County Jail Roster
Sierra County Inmate Roster Sierra County Inmate Roster
NMCD Offender Search New Mexico Department of Corrections
Licensure Background Information – New Mexico Public Education Department New Mexico Licensure Background Check Information
New Mexico Court Case Lookup New Mexico Court Case Lookup
Stand Alone Conditions – The Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website New Mexico Sex Offender Search