Valencia County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Valencia County, located in central New Mexico, was established in 1852. Home to over 76,000 New Mexicans. Valencia County has its government seat in Los Lunas. Valencia County's judicial system comprises District, Magistrate, Probate, and Municipal Courts. These courts ensure that all minor and major legal matters are addressed appropriately.

The 13th Judicial District Court serves three different counties, including Valencia County, the other two are Cibola County and Sandoval County. Located in Los Lunas, the District Court has jurisdiction over felonies, civil lawsuits, family law matters, such as child custody and divorce, juvenile matters, including delinquency and child abuse, and probate issues. The two Magistrate Courts in Valencia County, located in Belen and Los Lunas, preside over misdemeanor criminal offenses, traffic violations, and civil cases for claims up to $10,000. The Valencia County Probate Court has jurisdiction over uncontested probate and estate matters. It is located in Los Lunas. The five Magistrate Courts in Valencia County adjudicated criminal misdemeanor cases and non-criminal violations, including traffic infractions and parking and ordinance violations. The Municipal Courts are located at:

• Belen
• Bosque Farms
• Los Luna
• Peralta
• Rio Communities

The Valencia County judicial system significantly impacts its crime rate. The crime rate for the county stands at 2,167 per 100,000, showing the county's efficient legal system. Within a fiscal year, the Judicial Standards Commission records that the District Court presided over 1,000 new criminal and 6,000 criminal cases. The bulk of the criminal cases are from drug offenses, having over 300 lawsuits, while contact and debt money lawsuits topped the civil lawsuits filed in the county with over 1,800 cases. Juvenile and probate cases heard annually are over 100 and 400 cases annually. The County Clerk grants electronic access to public court records through Case Lookup. Confidential court records contain private information restricted from the public but are accessible by authorized personnel. There may be times that require a special court order over matters having to do with juvenile, mental health, and medical cases.

Valencia County's court system is a benchmark for judicial excellence in the state. The District Court serves as a primary avenue for high-stake legal matters in the county, while the Municipal Court, a lower court, operates across towns and cities. However, all courts in the county work together to ensure fairness and equality in legal proceedings. The functional court system in Valencia County means that citizens have access to public court records and can see how decisions are made during judicial proceedings.