Chaves County
Chaves County was created in 1889 and occupies an area measuring 6,065 square miles. The county was named after Colonel Jose Francisco Chaves. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 65,157. It is the fourth largest county in New Mexico, and its county seat is Roswell.
The Chaves County court system comprises probate, magistrate, district, and municipal courts. The Chaves County Magistrate Court hears most misdemeanor cases and county ordinance violations. It can also handle civil cases with claims of less than $10,000 (excluding interest) and preliminary hearings for criminal cases. The Chaves County municipal courts handle all municipal ordinance violations and do not conduct jury trials. There are four municipal courts in Chaves County:
- Dexter Municipal Court
- Hagerman Municipal Court
- Lake Arthur Municipal Court
- Roswell Municipal Court
The Chaves County Probate Court has jurisdiction over informal estate matters. It handles the administration of estates, provided there are no disputes. The Chaves County District Court is the court of general jurisdiction in Chaves County. It hears all cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts, including felonies, misdemeanors, civil cases involving claims exceeding $10,000, domestic relations, juvenile delinquency, and appeals from administrative agencies. It also handles formal probate proceedings.
Chaves County public court records consist of court filings, transcripts, orders, legal proceedings, and judgments of the county's courts. The New Mexico State Judiciary (New Mexico Courts) maintains all public court records from the county's Magistrate, Municipal, and District Courts, while the Chaves County Clerk's Office maintains those of the Probate Court. They prepare, index, present, and store the county's public court records in compliance with state laws and regulations.
The New Mexico State Judiciary provides access to these types of court records:
- Criminal Case Records
- Probate Case Records
- Civil Case Records
- Family Law Case Recordss
New Mexico provides a portal for searching public court records in Chaves County at no cost. The search can be done by name or case number.
