The Supreme Court consists of five Justices and is located in Santa Fe. This is the court of last resort and has superintending control over all inferior courts and attorneys licensed in the state.
This court has mandatory appellate jurisdiction over: criminal matters in which the sentence imposed is life in prison or the death penalty, appeals from the Public Regulation Commission, appeals from the granting of writs of habeas corpus, appeals in actions challenging nominations, and removal of public officials.
Discretionary jurisdiction: denials of petitions for writ of habeas corpus, petitions for writ of certiorari to the Court of Appeals, other extraordinary writ matters, and certified questions either from the Court of Appeals or federal courts.
Ten judges preside, sitting in panels of three. The Court of Appeals has offices in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
This court has mandatory jurisdiction in: civil, non-capital criminal, juvenile cases; Discretionary jurisdiction in interlocutory decision cases and administrative agency appeals.
One-hundred-two judges preside. There are thirteen different districts. These are District Courts of general jurisdiction which hold jury trials.
This court will hear these types of cases: Tort, contract, real property rights, and estate. Exclusive domestic relations, mental health, appeals for administrative agencies and lower courts, miscellaneous civil jurisdiction; Misdemeanor. Exclusive criminal appeals jurisdiction; Exclusive juvenile jurisdiction.
Sixty-seven judges preside. There are 46 magistrate courts. These are courts of limited jurisdiction. Jury trials.
This court will hear these types of cases: Tort, contract, landlord/tenant rights ($0-10,000); Felony preliminary hearings; Misdemeanor, DWI/DUI and other traffic violations.
Nineteen judges preside. Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court is of limited jurisdiction. Jury trials.
This court will hear these types of cases: Tort, contract, landlord/tenant rights ($0-10,000); Felony first appearances; Misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, Domestic Violence and other traffic violations.
Eighty-three judges preside. There are eighty-one municipal courts. These are courts of limited jurisdiction. No jury trials.
This court will hear these types of cases: Petty misdemeanors, DWI/DUI, traffic violations and other municipal ordinance violations.
Thirty-three judges. There are thirty-three counties. These are courts of limited jurisdiction. No jury trials.
This court will hear these types of cases: Informal probate; Estate (Hears uncontested cases. Contested cases go to district court).
A Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) is a legal action between married people to end the marriage.
A divorce determines how to divide the property and debts of the parties, where the children will live if there are children of the marriage, and who will pay child support and how much that parent must pay. After two people are divorce, each person is free to marry again.
To obtain a divorce in New Mexico, you or your spouse must have lived in New Mexico for the last six months. To begin a divorce, you must first file a petition and other papers in the district court in the county where you live or where your spouse lives. The divorce is not final until the judge signs the Final Decree of Dissolution of Marriage.
It is not necessary that both person agree to end the relationship. One spouse cannot make the other stay in a relationship.
What is Kinship Guardianship?
A kinship caregiver is defined as any individual who is a relative, godparent, member of a child’s tribe or clan, or an adult with a significant bond (fictive kin) who are raising a child or youth because the biological parents are not able or unwilling to do so.
Kinship caregivers could be eligible for legal assistance from various agencies across the state.