Santa Fe County, New Mexico Court Records
Santa Fe County court records are all or part of any document, exhibit, paper, transcript, or other material filed with courts in Santa Fe County, as well as registers of actions and dockets used to document case activities (per Rule 1-079(B)(i) of the New Mexico Rules Annotated-NMRA). These records typically cover most case types handled within the county, including criminal, civil, family, and probate matters.
The First Judicial District for Santa Fe County (comprising the Santa Fe District Court and the Santa Fe Magistrate Court) is the custodian of most court records in Santa Fe. Other custodians include the Santa Fe County Probate Court and municipal courts. These courts create, maintain, manage, and disclose court records, including orders and judgments, in accordance with applicable state laws and court rules (e.g., IPRA, Rule 1-079(B)(i) NMRA).
In Santa Fe County, court records serve the public interest by providing a reliable source of case information. In addition to court records, Santa Fe County’s public records include vital records, arrest information, and federal case files. These records are individually distinct and typically have different custodians. However, some of them may intersect. For example, court records in criminal cases may contain arrest information, and both typically appear together in rap sheets.
Are Santa Fe County Court Records Public?
Yes. Santa Fe County court records are public. This is in accordance with the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), which establishes the right of every individual to inspect records maintained by New Mexico courts, and in addition, Rule 1-079(A) NMRA, which states that court records are subject to public access unless sealed by order of the court or otherwise restricted from disclosure. To this end, interested parties can inspect and/or obtain court records for the majority of cases in Santa Fe County. These include criminal cases, civil litigation, small claims, family law cases, and probate and estate matters.
However, court records of certain categories of cases are confidential and not subject to public access. These cases include:
- Juvenile cases
- Adoption proceedings
- Sealed cases
- Proceedings to detain a person under Section 24-1-15 NMSA 1978
- Proceedings under the Adult Protective Services Act
- Proceedings under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code (Chapter 43, Article 1, NMSA 1978)
- Wills deposited under Section 45-2-515 NMSA 1978 (yet to be submitted to informal or formal probate proceedings)
- Guardianship proceedings under Chapter 45, Article 5, Part 3, NMSA 1978
- Conservatorship proceedings Chapter 245, Article 5, Part 4, NMSA 1978
What Information is Available in Santa Fe County Court Records?
Santa Fe County court records typically contain the following information:
- Case party names
- Case number
- Case type (e.g., criminal, civil)
- Filing date
- Transcripts
- Register of actions/case docket
- Scheduled court dates
- Filed documents (e.g., exhibits, complaints, motions, responses, subpoenas, charging documents)
- Orders and judgments (e.g., rulings, final judgments, decrees)
- Case disposition information (e.g., settlements, convictions, dismissals, acquittals)
Note that the specific contents of a court record will vary by case type.
Santa Fe County Court Records Search
Interested persons may search Santa Fe County court records via:
- Online Access - Use the New Mexico Courts Case Lookup tool to search Santa Fe County court records. The tool provides case records from the Santa Fe County District and Magistrate Courts, as well as DWI/DUI convictions from the municipal courts. The search criteria include name or case number. Note that the tool does not provide access to restricted cases (e.g., juvenile criminal cases). Alternatively, request access to a court record in Santa Fe County online through the state’s IPRA Request Form. The form requires the court location (that is, "First District" for "Santa Fe County"), the contact information of the person requesting the record, the information of the person whose records are being requested, and the records being requested. Individuals may also use the Public Access Portal to lookup records from the Santa Fe Municipal Court.
- In-Person Access - Court records may be inspected or requested at the court clerk’s office at the courthouse where the case was handled. As such, visit the court clerk’s office of the court (e.g., Santa Fe District Court) to request a search, inspection, and/or copies of case records. Visitation hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Note: There may be fees for copies.
- Mail and Phone Requests - Santa Fe County court records may also be requested by mail or phone. However, phone requests may be limited. Call (505) 455-8250 (Santa Fe District Court) and (505) 984-9914 (Santa Fe Magistrate Court) to request records or make inquiries by phone.
Or submit a written request by mail to the court where the record is located. Per NMSA 1978, Section 14-2-8(D), a written request should provide the name, address, and telephone number of the person seeking access to the records and should identify the records sought with reasonable particularity. Other requirements include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and applicable copy fees for the requested records. Acceptable forms of payment include cash, cashier’s checks, approved company checks, or money orders made payable to the First Judicial District Court.
Mail the Santa Fe County District Court and the Santa Fe County Magistrate Courts (custodians of most county court records) at the following address:
Santa Fe County District Courthouse
P.O. Box 2268
Santa Fe, NM 87504
Santa Fe County Magistrate Courthouse
P.O. Box 5138
Santa Fe, NM 87502
Fees for Court Records in Santa Fe County
The fees for the First Judicial District records, which include the Santa Fe District and Magistrate Court, are as follows (Note that fees for probate and municipal court records may be different):
Copy Type/Medium | Cost |
|---|---|
Tape/CD Duplication | $4.00/Tape//CD |
Photocopies | $0.35/Page |
Certification | $1.50/Page |
Anyone interested in obtaining a copy of a marriage record should request it from the Santa Fe County Clerk. The cost is $5.00 for each certified copy. To obtain vital records, such as Santa Fe County birth and death certificates, contact the NM Vital Records & Health Statistics Office at 1900 S. Saint Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505. A birth certificate costs $10/copy, and a death certificate costs $5.
Santa Fe County Courthouse Locations
Santa Fe County’s courts and the cases they hear include:
- Santa Fe District Court (in the First Judicial District): General jurisdiction. Handles criminal felonies, civil disputes exceeding $10,000, family law cases, informal probate proceedings, trusts, contested probate cases, juvenile proceedings, mental health commitments, and appeals.
- Santa Fe Magistrate Court (in the First Judicial District): Limited jurisdiction. Handles misdemeanors, civil disputes up to $10,000, preliminary hearings for felonies, traffic violations (including DWI/DUI), and probable cause hearings for arrest and search warrants.
- Santa Fe Probate Court: Handle informal probate proceedings only (e.g., appointing a special administrator and probating wills).
- Santa Fe Municipal Court (including Edgewood Municipal Court): Handles traffic citations and cases involving a violation of municipal ordinances.
The addresses and contact information for these courts are listed below.
Santa Fe County District Court
225 Montezuma Avenue
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: (505) 455-8250
Fax: (505) 455-828
Santa Fe County Magistrate
2056 Galisteo St.
Santa Fe, NM 875050
Phone: (505) 984-9914
Fax: (505) 986-5866
240 Grant Ave.
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: (505) 986-6280
2511 Camino Entrada
Santa Fe, NM 87507
Phone: (505) 955-5070
Fax (505) 955-5159
Edgewood Municipal Court
18 Municipal Way
Edgewood, NM 87015
Phone: (505) 286-4518
Criminal Records Access in Santa Fe County
Santa Fe County courts do not conduct criminal background checks for the public. The New Mexico DPS Law Enforcement Records Bureau (LERB) is the agency responsible for this (criminal history record checks) in the state. However, local criminal case records in Santa Fe County are available for public access in person (at 225 Montezuma Ave., Santa Fe, NM 87501), by email (sfedrequests@nmcourts.gov), or by mail (P.O. Box 2268, Santa Fe, NM 87504) to the court clerk’s office. They’re also available via the Case Lookup tool.
Santa Fe County Probate Records
Santa Fe County probate records are official court records of the Santa Fe County Probate Court, as well as case files for probate/estate/trust matters handled in the Santa Fe County District Court. Common examples of probate records include wills and testaments, inventories of estate assets, letters of administration, petitions for probate, decrees of distribution, and conservatorship orders.
As public records, interested persons may view and/or obtain copies of probate records from the Santa Fe County Probate Court at 240 Grant Avenue, Santa Fe, during normal business hours. They can also be requested by mail to:
Santa Fe County Probate
Attn: Probate Judge
PO Box 1985
Santa Fe, NM 87504.
Similarly, individuals can inspect or request probate records from the Santa Fe County District Court in person, by mail, or by e-mail. Or use theCase Lookup tool to access these records online. Note that estate records and recent probate filings may be available via the tool.
Per Rule 1-079(C) NMRA, confidential probate records include wills deposited under Section 45-2-515 NMSA 1978, guardianship proceedings under Chapter 45, Article 5, Part 3, NMSA 1978, and conservatorship proceedings under Chapter 245, Article 5, Part 4, NMSA 1978.
County | Court Name | Address | Phone Number | Office Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Santa Fe County | Santa Fe Probate Court | 240 Grant Ave. Santa Fe, NM 87501 | (505) 986-6280 | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Wednesday and Friday) |
Santa Fe District Court | 225 Montezuma Ave. | (505) 455-8250 | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Monday through Friday) |
Santa Fe County Family Court Records
Santa Fe County family court records encompass divorces, adoptions, custody, paternity, and child support. These records are generally public under IPRA. However, adoption records and certain others, like the Family Violence Protection Act "order of protection," are confidential.
Anyone interested in looking up family court records in Santa Fe County should use the Case Lookup tool. The tool is free and provides access to public district court family records. Alternatively, family court records may be inspected or obtained from the Santa Fe County District Court. Requests should be submitted in person, by mail, or by email (sfedrequests@nmcourts.gov) to the court clerk’s office. There’ll be fees for copies.
Federal Court Records in Santa Fe County
The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico is the federal court with jurisdiction to hear federal cases in New Mexico. It operates a courthouse in Santa Fe, which typically hears federal cases originating in the county. The court records are available in person, by mail to the Santa Fe Courthouse, or online via PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records).