San Juan County
San Juan County is located in northwestern New Mexico. It covers approximately 5,517.2 square miles and includes cities such as Farmington, the county's largest city, and Aztec, which serves as the county seat. As of 2022, San Juan County had a population of around 121,798 residents, making it the fifth most populous county in the state.
The court system in San Juan County includes the District, Magistrate, Probate, and Municipal Courts. The District Court handles criminal cases like felonies, lesser-included offenses, some misdemeanors, and preliminary hearings for all types of criminal cases. It also deals with general civil claims exceeding $10,000, exclusive of interest and costs, domestic relations matters such as divorce and child custody, juvenile cases, and probate matters, including estates and guardianships. San Juan Magistrate Court oversees most misdemeanors, civil claims not exceeding $10,000, preliminary felony hearings, landlord-tenant disputes, county ordinance violations, and traffic infractions. The Probate Court has exclusive jurisdiction to determine heirship to real property in the informal administration of estates and other probate matters. Municipal Courts, including those in Aztec, and Bloomfield, handle city ordinance violations and traffic matters specific to the municipalities.
The County Clerk of Courts maintains and manages all court records, including documents such as copies of court notices, court filings, notes of evidence, charges, judgments, case transcripts, court dockets, indexes, and calendars. These court records are created from different legal proceedings that occur in the county's courts and are important for monitoring legal proceedings. San Juan County court records typically include:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Domestic relations records
- Probate records
Public access to San Juan County court records is generally available under the Inspection of Public Records Act, except for confidential cases involving juveniles and sensitive information. San Juan County's District Court records can be accessed online via the New Mexico Courts Case Lookup System. Physical records and copies can be requested by visiting the Clerk's Office at:
103 South Oliver Drive
Aztec, NM 87410
Phone: (505) 334-6151