| District Court Clerk | Second Judicial District Court Clerk's Office |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Second Judicial District Court, 400 Lomas Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 (mail: PO Box 488, Albuquerque, NM 87103). Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, 401 Civic Plaza NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 |
| Phone | District Court (505) 841-8400 |
| Hours | District Court downtown: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.35 per page |
| Certified copy fee | $1.50 per document |
Bernalillo County, home to Albuquerque, is New Mexico's most populous county and its court system reflects that: the Second Judicial District Court is the largest trial court in the state, and Bernalillo is the only county with a Metropolitan Court instead of a magistrate court. Felonies, civil suits, divorce, custody, and contested probate go to the district court; misdemeanors, DWI, traffic tickets, small civil claims, and domestic-violence protective orders go to the Metropolitan Court, a separate court with its own clerk and its own courthouse.
Both courts feed into the statewide New Mexico Courts Case Lookup, so a single name search covers district and metro cases together. The Bernalillo County Clerk, a different office entirely, does not have court records — it handles real-property recording, elections, and marriage licenses.
The district court's downtown courthouse handles civil, family, and criminal filings in one building at 400 Lomas Blvd NW; the Metropolitan Court has its own separate building nearby. Knowing which court heard your case before you go saves a trip.
Search Bernalillo County court records online
District Court Clerk
Second Judicial District Court Clerk's Office
- Cost
- Free case search on Case Lookup; $0.35 per page for plain copies, $1.50 per document for certification
- Coverage
- District-court felony, civil, family, and contested-probate cases for Bernalillo County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
The clerk's office also lists a fee schedule covering exemplified copies and USB drive records of case files.
Other courts
Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court
- Cost
- Free case search on Case Lookup; copy fees set by the court
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, DWI/DUI, traffic citations, civil claims up to $10,000, felony first appearances, and domestic-violence protective orders in Bernalillo County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic, Family
Bernalillo County has no magistrate court; the Metropolitan Court does that job for the entire county.
Other courts
New Mexico Courts Case Lookup
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Statewide index search that includes both the Second Judicial District Court and the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
Search once by name to see cases from both courts; it will not show which court has a document image, only the docket.
What is available online
Case Lookup shows current docket information for both the district court and the Metropolitan Court, but not document images. Attorneys and self-represented parties in a case can register for re:Search®NM to see filed documents for their own cases. Older, pre-electronic-filing case files may require an in-person or mailed request to the clerk that heard the case.
Which clerk has your record
In New Mexico, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the New Mexico page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| District Courts (13 judicial districts) | Felony criminal cases; Civil suits of any amount; Divorce, custody, and other domestic-relations cases | District Court Clerk of the judicial district |
| Magistrate Courts and Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court | Misdemeanors; DWI/DUI; Traffic citations | Magistrate Court Clerk (Metropolitan Court Clerk in Bernalillo County) |
| Probate Courts | Informal, uncontested probate of wills; Small estates | County Probate Judge |
| Municipal Courts | City ordinance violations; Petty misdemeanors; Traffic tickets issued inside city limits | Municipal Court Clerk of the city |
Request records in person or by mail
Bernalillo County clerk offices
Second Judicial District Court, 400 Lomas Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 (mail: PO Box 488, Albuquerque, NM 87103). Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, 401 Civic Plaza NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: District Court (505) 841-8400
Hours: District Court downtown: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
District Court records. Request copies from the Second Judicial District Court Clerk's Office at 400 Lomas Blvd NW, or by mail to PO Box 488, Albuquerque, NM 87103. Give the case number if you have it, the documents you need, and whether you need certified copies; expect to pay roughly $0.35 per page plus $1.50 per document for certification.
Metropolitan Court records. Contact the Metropolitan Court Customer Service Division directly for misdemeanor, DWI, traffic, and domestic-violence-petition files; that court keeps its own case files separate from the district court.
IPRA requests. For records not available through Case Lookup or re:Search®NM, submit a request through the statewide court IPRA portal at ipra.nmcourts.gov.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in New Mexico |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.35 per page |
| Certified copy | $1.50 per document |
Confirmed on the Second Judicial District (Bernalillo County) Clerk's Office fee schedule under the authority of NMSA 1978 §§ 34-6-40 and 34-6-43. Each judicial district and each magistrate/metropolitan court adopts its own fee schedule, so amounts can differ outside Bernalillo County; confirm with the specific clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
New Mexico court records are open to the public under the common-law right of access and the Inspection of Public Records Act, but Rule 1-079 NMRA (and its counterparts for magistrate, metropolitan, and municipal courts) governs sealing and lets a court close all or part of a record's docket, case type, or documents by order. A record's basic case number and case type generally may not be sealed without a specific court order, even when the file itself is confidential.
The New Mexico guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Which Bernalillo County court has my DWI or traffic ticket?
The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, not the district court. Bernalillo County does not have a separate magistrate court; the Metropolitan Court handles misdemeanors, DWI, and traffic citations for the whole county.
Where is my Bernalillo County divorce or felony case?
The Second Judicial District Court. Felonies, civil suits, divorce, custody, and contested probate are all filed with the district court clerk at the downtown Albuquerque courthouse.
Can I search both Bernalillo County courts at once?
Yes. The New Mexico Courts Case Lookup indexes both the Second Judicial District Court and the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, so one name search returns results from either court.
Does the Bernalillo County Clerk have my court case?
No. The county clerk's office records deeds, election results, and marriage licenses. Court cases stay with the district court clerk or the Metropolitan Court, not the county clerk.
How do I get a certified copy of a Bernalillo County court document?
Request it from the clerk of whichever court heard the case, in person or by mail. The Second Judicial District's published fee schedule lists $1.50 per document for certification, in addition to the per-page copy fee.
Sources
- Second Judicial District Court Clerk's Office — https://seconddistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/clerks-office/
- Bernalillo County District Court (Second Judicial District) — https://seconddistrict.nmcourts.gov/court/bernalillo-county-district-court/
- Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court — https://metro.nmcourts.gov/
- New Mexico Courts Case Lookup — https://caselookup.nmcourts.gov/caselookup/app
- New Mexico Courts — Courts in New Mexico — https://nmcourts.gov/courts-in-new-mexico/
- New Mexico Courts — Public Access and re:Search®NM — https://selfrepresentation.nmcourts.gov/self-representation/public-access-and-researchnm/
- New Mexico Courts — IPRA Records Request — https://ipra.nmcourts.gov/
- NM Department of Public Safety — Fingerprinting and Background Checks — https://www.dps.nm.gov/law-enforcement-records-bureau/fingerprinting-and-background-checks/
- NMOneSource.com — https://www.nmonesource.com/nmos/en/nav.do
- Rule 1-079 NMRA — Public Inspection and Sealing of Court Records (District Court Civil) — https://supremecourt.nmcourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/Rule-1-079-NMRA.pdf
- NMSA 1978, Chapter 29, Article 3A — Criminal Record Expungement Act — https://law.justia.com/codes/new-mexico/2019/chapter-29/article-3a/section-29-3a-1/
- NMSA 1978 § 34-6-40 — District Courts; Finance; Fees — https://law.justia.com/codes/new-mexico/2024/chapter-34/article-6/section-34-6-40/
- United States District Court for the District of New Mexico — https://www.nmd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all New Mexico counties.