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CORONAVIRUS & THE COURTS: UPDATE
New Mexico courts have implemented measures to minimize public health risks from coronavirus (COVID-19) for those who visit or work in courthouses.
On March 11, Supreme Court Chief Justice Judith K. Nakamura announced that state courts – district, magistrate, metropolitan and appellate courts – will remain open for business to ensure courts fulfill their constitutional and statutory duties.
“The Judiciary’s responsibility to ensure constitutional protections are available to those who need them has been especially important during difficult times in our history. We are working closely with state and local governments and taking steps to ensure that courthouses are safe for jurors, litigants, lawyers, judicial employees, judges and all members of the public.” Chief Justice Nakamura said.
For additional information, please click here.
Detailed New Mexico Courts – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information can be found here.
Please scroll below for more information concerning our District’s response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Sixth Judicial District Court Reopening Plan
Click on reopening plan for more information: Reopening Plan
District and Magistrate Courts in Grant, Hidalgo and Luna Counties to Resume Jury Trials
Click on press release for more information: Press Release
Access to the Court
Courthouses in the Sixth Judicial District will remain open during regular court business hours. However, individuals will be required to answer the following screening questions to determine if entry to court facilities will be allowed:
COVID-19 Screening Questions – as of July 12, 2021
COVID-19 Screening Questions Spanish – as of July 12, 2021
If your business with the court is not urgent, please contact the department you were planning to visit by telephone. If you have a scheduled appointment or are otherwise required to appear at one of the courthouses, please contact the appropriate party prior to your scheduled appointment:
- If you are represented by an attorney, please contact your attorney.
- If you are not represented by an attorney and are required to appear in court, please contact the Judge’s chambers to make arrangements to appear telephonically (contact information may be found under the Judges section to the left).
- If you are an attorney and are scheduled to appear in court before a judge, please contact the Judge’s chambers to make arrangements to appear telephonically (contact information may be found under the Judges section to the left).
- If you are a juror, please contact the Jury Division (contact information for the respective Court may be found under Court Location, Business Hours & Contact Information section to the left).
- For other Court matters, please contact the Clerk’s Office (contact information for the respective Court may be found under Court Location, Business Hours & Contact Information section to the left).
For the latest information on the Coronavirus, visit the New Mexico Department of Health’s website at https://cv.nmhealth.org/ or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at https://www.cdc.gov.
Protective Face Coverings Required in NM Courthouses
Effective immediately, any person entering a New Mexico courthouse or judicial building must wear a mask or other protective face covering to help control the spread of COVID-19.
“State health officials have made it abundantly clear that if each of us wears a mask in public we can help slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives,” said Chief Justice Judith K. Nakamura. “Our courts provide essential services to the public so we continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard the health and well-being of people who work in or need to visit a courthouse.
Notice – Emailing and faxing of documents by self-represented litigants and attorneys
In response to the Coronavirus public health emergency, the Sixth Judicial District will be implementing an interim procedure for allowing the filing of documents by email or fax to reduce the requirement of self-represented litigants and attorneys to enter the courthouse to file documents. Self-represented litigants and attorneys are permitted to file documents via email or fax in those case types that are not eligible for electronic filing through File and Serve that meet the criteria listed in the notices linked below.
Helpful Information for Appearing by Video
ANNOUNCEMENTS
New Bilingual/Spanish Guardianship and Conservatorship Forms
Language Access has announced the availability of bilingual Guardianship and Conservatorship Forms in Spanish that will be available for use effective August 1, 2021. To access the forms beginning August 1, 2021, please click here.
New Court Rules Encourage Mortgage Servicers to Work with Borrowers to Try to Prevent Foreclosures
For more information, please click on the press release.
Video Orientation Program for Guardians and Conservators!
The State has created a video origination program for proposed guardians and conservators, who under a newly approved judicial rule must view the series of educational videos before their appointment by a judge.
It is a series of 10 videos that cover topics from completing reports required of guardians and conservators to procedures for filing a grievance and how to identify and report potential abuse of vulnerable New Mexicans. The videos that that range from about five minutes to 12 minutes in length can be viewed online on the New Mexico Courts webpage.
Online Payment of Fees and Fines in District Court Cases
Members of the public can use a credit card or debit card for online payments of fees and fines in district court cases in the Sixth Judicial District of Grant, Hidalgo and Luna counties.
Among the court costs that can be paid with the online system: Filing fees for civil, domestic relations and probate cases, court-ordered fines, fees and restitution, fees for mediation services, fees to request a jury trial in a civil case and fees for copies of court case records. (Available 8/20/20 at 12 midnight MST)
- Sixth Judicial District Court – Silver City
https://www.msbpay.com/MSBWEBPayments?NM_NewMexicoCourts_6thJudicialCourt_SilverCity - Sixth Judicial District Court – Deming
https://www.msbpay.com/MSBWEBPayments?NM_NewMexicoCourts_6thJudicialCourt_Deming - Sixth Judicial District Court – Lordsburg
https://www.msbpay.com/MSBWEBPayments?NM_NewMexicoCourts_6thJudicialCourt_Lordsburg
Electronic Filing and Service Available for Criminal Cases!
Effective October 1st, 2019, electronic filing for all District courts will be available through the same File and Serve system used for Civil, Family and Probate eFiling. Electronic filing for Criminal cases is only available for subsequent filings.
Electronic filing and service will be available for Criminal cases at no charge. For more information, please see Rule 5-103.2.
Online Dispute Resolution – Solve Debt and Money Due Cases Online!
Online Dispute Resolution is a new, easy-to-use service for resolving debt and money due lawsuits. The online system offers a convenient alternative to appearing in court by allowing parties to negotiate through private online messages from any location with internet access.
ADA Accommodations
The Sixth Judicial District Court and Magistrate Court Division is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to ensure access to our facilities, programs and services for the public. If you have a disability and would like to request reasonable accommodations to access our facilities, programs, or services, please contact our ADA Coordinator, Angelic Muñoz, Court Executive Officer 2 at 1 + (575) 538-3250 extension 6, as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the accommodations are needed.
Request for Accommodation for a Court Hearing: Counsel or self-represented litigants may notify the Clerk of the Court in the appropriate county of the nature of the disability at least five (5) business days before any hearing so appropriate accommodations may be made.
Please click on the links below for more information:
American with Disabilities Act Notice of Rights
American with Disabilities Act Complaint Form
American with Disabilities Act Request for Accommodations Form
For additional information, please visit the New Mexico Judicial Branch ADA website.
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