Chaves County Public Records /Chaves County Court Records

Chaves County Court Records

What Is Chaves County Court Records

Court records in Chaves County encompass the official documents generated, filed, and maintained by the judicial system in connection with legal proceedings. These records include case files, docket sheets, pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, transcripts of proceedings, exhibits admitted into evidence, sentencing records, and any other materials that become part of the official court file. Court records are distinct from other categories of public records maintained at the county level, such as property records held by the County Assessor, vital records maintained by the New Mexico Department of Health, or land records filed with the County Clerk.

Multiple courts within Chaves County generate and maintain court records, including:

Fifth Judicial District Court – handles felony criminal cases, civil matters, domestic relations, and probate
Chaves County Magistrate Court – handles misdemeanor criminal cases, small claims, and civil matters up to a statutory limit
Chaves County Probate Court – handles the administration of decedents' estates
Roswell Municipal Court – handles municipal ordinance violations and traffic matters within city limits

Records maintained across these courts cover civil litigation, criminal prosecutions, family law matters (including divorce, child custody, and adoption), probate proceedings, traffic violations, and small claims disputes. Under New Mexico Statutes Annotated § 14-3-1, public records are broadly defined to include documents created or received by government entities in the conduct of public business, which encompasses records generated by the courts.

Are Court Records Public In Chaves County

Court records in Chaves County are presumptively open to the public under New Mexico law. The New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), § 14-2-1 establishes that all public records are subject to inspection unless a specific statutory exemption applies. In addition, New Mexico Supreme Court rules governing court records affirm the principle of open access to judicial proceedings and the documents associated with them.

The following categories of records are generally available for public inspection:

Most civil case files, including complaints, answers, and supporting documents
Criminal case files following the filing of formal charges
Judgments and court orders
Docket sheets reflecting the procedural history of a case
Hearing schedules and calendars
Sentencing records in criminal matters

Certain records are restricted from public access under state law or court rule, including juvenile delinquency records, adoption records, mental health commitment records, and documents sealed by judicial order. Members of the public should note that federal court records—maintained by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico—are governed by federal rules and accessed through the PACER system, which is separate from the New Mexico state court system. The Public Records section of the Fifth Judicial District Court provides guidance on submitting inspection requests for records maintained by that court, which serves Chaves County, Eddy County, and Lea County.

How To Find Court Records in Chaves County in 2026

Members of the public seeking court records in Chaves County may obtain them through in-person inspection, written request, or online access, depending on the court and the nature of the records sought.

In-Person Access:

Visit the clerk's office of the court where the case was filed during regular business hours
Provide the case number, party name, or other identifying information to the clerk
Request to inspect the file or obtain certified or uncertified copies
Pay any applicable copy fees at the time of the request

Written or Email Request:

Submit a written public records request to the appropriate court clerk, citing the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act
Include the case number or party names, the date range of the records sought, and the preferred format for production
Courts are generally required to respond within fifteen business days under § 14-2-8 of the IPRA

Online Access:

Use the New Mexico Courts' online portals described in the section below to search for case information without visiting a courthouse

How To Look Up Court Records in Chaves County Online?

Several official online portals currently provide access to court records associated with Chaves County proceedings.

New Mexico Case Lookup Portal The primary statewide tool for searching court records is the New Mexico case lookup system, maintained by the New Mexico Courts. This portal allows users to search by party name, case number, attorney name, or hearing date across multiple court types, including the Fifth Judicial District Court and the Chaves County Magistrate Court. Search steps include:

Navigate to the case lookup portal
Select the court or leave the field blank to search statewide
Enter the party's last name, first name, or case number
Review the list of matching cases and select the relevant matter
View docket entries, hearing dates, and case status

New Mexico Courts' Public Access Portal The New Mexico Courts' Public Access portal provides an additional interface for viewing case information, including the Chaves County Magistrate Court in Roswell. Users should note that information obtained through this portal does not constitute the official record of the New Mexico Judiciary and should not be relied upon as a certified record for legal purposes.

Fifth Judicial District Court – In-Person and Request-Based Access The Fifth Judicial District Court does not currently offer a standalone online case file viewer for all document types; however, docket information is accessible through the statewide portals above, and physical records may be inspected or requested through the court clerk's office.

How To Search Chaves County Court Records for Free?

State law currently guarantees members of the public the right to inspect public court records at no charge. Under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act, custodians of public records must allow inspection without imposing a fee for the act of viewing records. Fees may be assessed only for the production of copies.

The following resources are available at no cost:

The New Mexico case lookup system is free to use and requires no account registration for basic case searches
The New Mexico Courts' Public Access portal is similarly available to the public at no charge
In-person inspection of physical case files at the Fifth Judicial District Court clerk's office is free; copy fees apply if reproductions are requested
Docket sheets and hearing schedules may be viewed in person at the Chaves County Magistrate Court without charge

Members of the public who require certified copies of court documents will be subject to the applicable fee schedule established by the court.

What's Included in a Chaves County Court Record?

The contents of a court record vary by case type, but generally include the following categories of documents:

Civil Case Records:

Complaint or petition initiating the action
Summons and proof of service
Defendant's answer and any counterclaims
Motions, briefs, and supporting memoranda
Court orders and rulings
Final judgment or decree
Notices of appeal, if applicable

Criminal Case Records:

Charging documents (indictment, information, or complaint)
Arrest warrant and supporting affidavit
Bail and bond documents
Plea agreements
Trial transcripts and exhibit lists
Sentencing orders and conditions of probation or parole

Family Law Records:

Petition for dissolution of marriage or legal separation
Child custody and parenting plan orders
Child support orders and modification records
Domestic violence protective orders (subject to access restrictions in certain circumstances)

Probate Records:

Petition for probate and letters testamentary
Inventory of estate assets
Final accounting and order of distribution

Traffic and Magistrate Court Records:

Citation or complaint
Plea and disposition records
Fine payment records

How Long Does Chaves County Keep Court Records?

Retention periods for court records in Chaves County are governed by schedules established by the New Mexico Commission of Public Records and the New Mexico Supreme Court. Under current New Mexico law and administrative rules, retention periods vary by record type and court level:

Felony criminal case files: Retained permanently or for a minimum of 10 years following final disposition
Misdemeanor criminal case files: Retained for a minimum of 7 years following final disposition
Civil case files (general): Retained for a minimum of 7 years following final disposition
Domestic relations and family law files: Retained permanently in many instances due to ongoing enforceability of orders
Probate records: Retained permanently
Small claims records: Retained for a minimum of 3 to 5 years following final disposition
Traffic violation records: Retained for a minimum of 3 years

The New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, operating under § 14-3-14 of the New Mexico Statutes, provides oversight of records retention schedules applicable to state and county government entities, including the judiciary.

Types of Courts In Chaves County

Chaves County is served by a hierarchy of courts, from local magistrate and municipal courts through the district court level, with appellate review available through the New Mexico Court of Appeals and the New Mexico Supreme Court.

Fifth Judicial District Court 700 N. Richardson Ave. Roswell, NM 88201 (575) 622-2212 Fifth Judicial District Court Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Chaves County Magistrate Court 400 N. Virginia Ave. Roswell, NM 88201 (575) 622-8170 New Mexico Magistrate Courts Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Chaves County Probate Court 400 N. Virginia Ave., Suite 103 Roswell, NM 88201 (575) 624-6614 Chaves County Government Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Roswell Municipal Court 425 N. Richardson Ave. Roswell, NM 88201 (575) 624-6700 City of Roswell Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The court hierarchy in New Mexico proceeds as follows: Municipal and Magistrate Courts handle limited jurisdiction matters at the base level; the District Court (Fifth Judicial District) serves as the general trial court of record; the New Mexico Court of Appeals reviews appeals from the district courts; and the New Mexico Supreme Court serves as the court of last resort for the state.

What Types of Cases Do Chaves County Courts Hear?

Each court within Chaves County exercises jurisdiction over specific categories of cases as defined by New Mexico statute.

Fifth Judicial District Court hears:

Felony criminal prosecutions
Civil cases involving amounts in controversy exceeding the magistrate court's jurisdictional limit
Domestic relations matters, including divorce, child custody, and adoption
Probate matters when contested or transferred from the Probate Court
Juvenile delinquency and children's court matters
Appeals from the Magistrate Court and Municipal Court

Chaves County Magistrate Court hears:

Misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor criminal cases
Civil cases involving claims up to $10,000
Small claims matters
Preliminary hearings in felony cases
Traffic violations occurring outside municipal limits

Chaves County Probate Court hears:

Uncontested probate of wills
Administration of intestate estates
Appointment of personal representatives

Roswell Municipal Court hears:

Violations of Roswell city ordinances
Traffic infractions occurring within city limits
Petty misdemeanor matters within municipal jurisdiction

How To Find a Court Docket In Chaves County

A court docket is the official log of all filings, hearings, and actions taken in a specific case. Members of the public may access Chaves County court dockets through the following methods:

Online Search:

Use the New Mexico case lookup system to search by party name or case number and view the docket entries associated with a case
The New Mexico Courts' Public Access portal also provides docket information for cases filed in the Chaves County Magistrate Court and the Fifth Judicial District Court

In-Person Access:

Visit the clerk's office of the Fifth Judicial District Court at 700 N. Richardson Ave., Roswell, NM 88201, during regular business hours
Request to view the docket sheet for a specific case by providing the case number or party name
Docket sheets are available for inspection at no charge; copies are subject to applicable fees

Telephone Inquiry:

Members of the public may contact the Fifth Judicial District Court clerk at (575) 622-2212 to inquire about case status and scheduled hearing dates

Which Courts in Chaves County Are Not Courts of Record?

A court of record is a court whose proceedings are officially recorded and preserved, and whose judgments carry full legal weight and are subject to direct appellate review. Courts not of record do not maintain a verbatim transcript of proceedings as a matter of course, and appeals from such courts typically take the form of a trial de novo—a new trial conducted at the district court level rather than a review of the lower court's record.

Under New Mexico law, the Roswell Municipal Court is currently classified as a court not of record. Pursuant to New Mexico Statutes Annotated § 35-14-1 and related provisions governing municipal courts, these courts do not maintain official verbatim transcripts of proceedings, and parties aggrieved by a municipal court judgment may appeal to the Fifth Judicial District Court for a trial de novo.

The Chaves County Magistrate Court occupies a similar position under New Mexico law; magistrate courts are generally not courts of record, and appeals from magistrate court decisions are heard by the district court as new proceedings. The Fifth Judicial District Court, by contrast, is a court of record, and all proceedings before it are transcribed and preserved as part of the official case file.