Dona Ana County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Dona Ana County is located in the southern part of New Mexico with a population of 220,000 and was founded in the year 1852. Las Cruces, the county seat, is the second most populated city in New Mexico. Named for Dona Ana Robledo, who died fleeing the Pueblo Revolt in 1680. Dona Ana County is part of the Las Cruces Metroplitan Statistical Area which is also included in the El Paso Combined Statistical Area. Loocated within the Third Judicial District, Dona Ana has various courts to serve its residents, including a District Court, a Magistrate Court, a Probate Court, and several Municipal Courts.

The District Court hears felonies, misdemeanors, and preliminary hearings for all types of criminal cases. The court also handles cases having to do with domestic relations, juvenile delinquency, child protection, mental health, disputes over the title or boundary to real estate. The Dona Ana County Magistrate Court handles misdemeanor offenses such as traffic violations and non-felony cases. The Probate Court manages legal proceedings related to the estates of deceased individuals, whether they have a will or not. The Municipal Court adjudicates violations of the municipal codes, including minor misdemeanors like traffic citations, with fines reaching up to $500 and potential jail terms of up to 90 days.

Dona Ana County has a crime rate of 53.31 incidents per 1,000 people. Less than 1,000 court cases are handled by the courts in the county annually. The County Clerk's office maintains all official court records and provides public access to these records. Anyone may request public records by contacting the County Clerk's Office. For online access to Dona Ana court records, use the New Mexico Courts Case Lookup resource. Some cases will naturally be confidential or sealed due to the nature of the information within, these cases include those of juvenile matters, anything having to do with custody or adoption casses, mental health and medical records, personal identifying information and probational matters. If such access is needed for these particular records, the County Clerk can assist with the proper protocol. This requires an in person visit to the Office. Special permission or court order is required to obtain access.

In summary, Dona Ana County hosts a comprehensive judicial system including District, Magistrate, Probate, and Municipal Courts. The county maintains a low crime rate—1,887 incidents per 100,000 people—below national averages, indicating a safe environment.