New Mexico
New Mexico Court Records: How to Search Case Lookup and re:Search, and How Expungement Works
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 10, 2026). · 5 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
New Mexico runs a two-tier system for court records. Everyone can use Case Lookup, a free statewide docket search covering every New Mexico court, without registering for an account. A second, deeper tool called re:Search NM adds full Odyssey case information and access to filed documents, but only for registered users.
Knowing which tier actually answers your question, a quick check on whether a case exists versus reading the documents in it, saves a trip through the registration process for people who only need the first one.
Information last verified on 2026-08-10. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
This guide is part of a broader look at court records by state; for the mechanics of federal versus state versus county searches generally, see how to look up court records and are court records public.
Case Lookup: New Mexico's Free Statewide Search
Case Lookup is New Mexico's free, no-registration entry point, described by the courts as a way to "see current electronic court records from all New Mexico Courts." The tool's own disclaimer page limits how it can be used: "Use of this site for any purpose other than viewing individual electronic court records, or attempts to download multiple records per transaction, are strictly prohibited," with data use tied to NMSA 1978, section 14-3-15.1. The disclaimer also tells users who spot an inaccuracy to notify the court where the case was heard, rather than assuming the online summary is definitive.
New Mexico's court system behind that search tool is genuinely large: the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, 34 district courts, 43 magistrate courts spread across 13 districts, the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, 33 county probate courts, and 78 municipal courts. Case Lookup is described as reaching across that structure, though the depth of information available for any specific court type can vary, so a blank result should be double-checked with the specific court before assuming no record exists.
re:Search NM: The Registered Tier With Documents
For access to fuller case information and to the documents filed in a case, New Mexico offers re:Search NM, a software application described by the courts as providing "access to Odyssey court case information and documents to registered users." re:Search NM replaced an older system called Secured Odyssey Public Access (SOPA) as of April 7, 2023, so any reference to SOPA in an older source is describing a system New Mexico has already retired. Unlike Case Lookup, re:Search NM requires setting up a registered account before it can be used; readers who only need to confirm a docket summary or basic case status generally do not need to register, since Case Lookup already covers that without an account.
What's Public Under Rule 1-079 NMRA
New Mexico's presumption of court-record openness is set out in Rule 1-079 NMRA, a Supreme Court-approved rule with companion versions across the state's Magistrate, Metropolitan, Criminal, and Municipal court levels. New Mexico also frames court-records access as running alongside the state's Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), whose core provision, NMSA 1978 Section 14-2-1, provides that "every person has a right to inspect public records of this state" subject to a list of statutory exceptions; the courts state plainly that "every person has the right to inspect public records maintained by New Mexico Courts." This page attempted to open Rule 1-079 NMRA's text directly and could not extract readable text from the PDF, so it does not state the rule's exact sealing standard here. Readers who need the rule's precise sealing procedure and standard for a specific case should consult Rule 1-079 NMRA directly on nmcourts.gov or ask the court clerk.
Expungement Under New Mexico's CREA
New Mexico's record-relief statute is the Criminal Record Expungement Act, NMSA 1978 sections 29-3A-1 through 29-3A-9. The original act took effect January 1, 2020; sections 29-3A-8 and 29-3A-9, which deal with cannabis-related records, were added by the 2021 cannabis legislation and took effect June 29, 2021. New Mexico's own courts use the term expungement, not sealing, for relief under this law.
CREA sets out three petition-based pathways, each with its own district court form: expungement of records after identity theft under Section 29-3A-3 (Form 4-951 NMRA), expungement after a release without conviction under Section 29-3A-4 (Form 4-952), and expungement of a conviction under Section 29-3A-5 (Form 4-953). A separate track under Section 29-3A-8 expunges cannabis records automatically two years after the arrest or conviction where the conduct was no longer a crime on June 29, 2021, or would have been a lesser offense had the Cannabis Regulation Act been in force at the time. That track uses no petition form: the administrative office of the courts runs it and takes an online application from people who want to verify whether an expungement has happened or ask that an eligible charge be expunged. New Mexico's courts note that the process requires "one valid picture ID to verify identity." Outside the cannabis track, New Mexico's expungement process remains something a person has to petition for. For full eligibility rules and the filing process, see New Mexico expungement laws, which this page does not duplicate.
Certified Copies
Certified copies of New Mexico court documents are requested from the clerk of the court where the case was filed. Confirm the current fee and process directly with that court, since fee specifics were not itemized in the sources reviewed for this page.
Using New Mexico Court Records the Right Way
Case Lookup and re:Search NM are both built for checking your own case, tracking a matter you are personally involved in, or general public research, not for compiling a background file on someone else, and Case Lookup's own disclaimer specifically prohibits uses beyond viewing individual records. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, most arrests and civil judgments age off a consumer report after seven years, but criminal convictions are carved out of that limit under 15 U.S.C. section 1681c(a)(5) and can be reported indefinitely unless the record has been expunged. Anyone assembling public court records for a hiring or housing decision may be acting as a consumer reporting agency under federal law, and the FTC has enforced this directly: in 2023 it reached a $5.8 million settlement with TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate over marketing public-records reports for tenant and employee screening without following FCRA requirements. Case Lookup is not a substitute for an FCRA-compliant background check when the decision involves employment or housing.
Related Resources
Court Records by State covers the full 50-state picture. See also How to Look Up Court Records, Are Court Records Public?, New Mexico Expungement Laws, New Mexico Background Check Laws, New Mexico Warrant Search, and New Mexico Public Records Laws.
Disclaimer
This article explains how New Mexico's court records tools are organized. It is general legal information, not legal advice. Portal features and fees change without notice; verify current details with nmcourts.gov before relying on them. Consult a New Mexico-licensed attorney for advice about a specific case.
Last updated: 2026-08-10. Portal facts and fees reflect their published status as of August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is New Mexico court records search free?
Yes, for basic docket information. Case Lookup, at caselookup.nmcourts.gov, is free and requires no registration, covering current electronic court records statewide. The registered re:Search NM tier adds fuller case information and document access.
What is the difference between Case Lookup and re:Search NM?
Case Lookup is a free, no-registration docket search covering current electronic court records statewide. re:Search NM, which requires registration, provides fuller Odyssey case information and access to the actual documents filed in a case.
What happened to New Mexico's SOPA system?
SOPA (Secured Odyssey Public Access) was replaced by re:Search NM as of April 7, 2023. Any reference to SOPA describes a system New Mexico has already retired.
Can I use New Mexico Case Lookup for anything other than checking a case?
No. The tool's own disclaimer restricts use to viewing individual electronic court records and prohibits attempts to download multiple records per transaction.
Does New Mexico call it sealing or expungement?
Expungement. New Mexico's governing law is the Criminal Record Expungement Act (CREA), NMSA 1978 sections 29-3A-1 through 29-3A-9, and the courts' own materials use the term expungement rather than sealing.
Is any part of New Mexico's expungement process automatic?
Yes, but only narrowly. Section 29-3A-8 expunges cannabis-related records automatically two years after the arrest or conviction, and it is handled administratively by the administrative office of the courts rather than by petition. Expunging a conviction, a charge that did not result in a conviction, or a record created by identity theft is still petition-based, using Forms 4-953, 4-952, and 4-951 respectively.
Updates
Corrected the Criminal Record Expungement Act citation to NMSA 1978 sections 29-3A-1 through 29-3A-9, fixed the court-form mapping (4-951 is the identity-theft petition, not the cannabis route), added the identity-theft and automatic cannabis pathways with their governing sections and dates, and cited NMSA 1978 Section 14-2-1 for the public-inspection right.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, Chapter 14
§ 14-2-1Right to inspect public records; exceptionsIn forcecited in 5 of our articles
Every person has a right to inspect public records of this state except: A. records pertaining to physical or mental examinations and medical treatment of persons confined to an institution; B. letters of reference concerning employment, licensing or permits; C. letters or memoranda that are matters of opinion in personnel files or students' cumulative files; D. portions of law enforcement records as provided in Section 14-2-1.2 NMSA 1978; E. as provided by the Confidential Materials Act [14-3A-1, 14-3A-2 NMSA 1978]; F. trade secrets; G. attorney-client privileged information; H. long-range or strategic business plans of public hospitals discussed in a properly closed meeting; I. tactical response plans or procedures prepared for or by the state or a political subdivision of the state, the publication of which could reveal specific vulnerabilities, risk assessments or tactical emergency security procedures that could be used to facilitate the planning or execution of a terrorist attack; J.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-03 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
Cited in 124 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Republican Party v. New Mexico Taxation & Revenue Department (2012) held Section 14-2-1 permits withholding only via its listed exceptions or the "as otherwise provided by law" catch-all, retiring the older rule of reason. Crutchfield v. New Mexico Department of Taxation & Revenue (2004) let a specific database statute control instead.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Spadaro v. University of New Mexico Board of Regents (New Mexico Supreme Court 1988, 107 N.M. 402)“…ints under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act, NMSA 1978, Section 14-2-1, (Orig.Pamp.). Spadaro filed an amended…”
- Crutchfield v. New Mexico Department of Taxation & Revenue (New Mexico Court of Appeals 2004, 137 N.M. 26)✓A data reseller demanded electronic copies of the state severance tax database under the Inspection of Public Records Act; the court held the specific computer-database statute, not IPRA's general right to inspect, governed, so the agency could refuse absent a royalty deal.
- State v. Druktenis (New Mexico Court of Appeals 2004, 135 N.M. 223)“…al record of entry by law enforcement agencies); see also NMSA 1978, § 14-2-1(A) (1999) (permitting public inspection…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: New Mexico Marriage and Divorce Records: County and Court Only (2026), New Mexico IPRA: Inspection of Public Records Act Guide (2026), Are Autopsy Reports Public in New Mexico? (2026)
§ 14-3-15.1Records of state agencies; public records; copy fees; computer databases; criminal penalty.In force
A. Except as otherwise provided by federal or state law, information contained in information systems databases shall be a public record and shall be subject to disclosure in printed or typed format by the state agency that has inserted that information into the database, in accordance with the Public Records Act, upon the payment of a reasonable fee for the service. B. The administrator shall recommend to the commission the procedures, schedules and technical standards for the retention of computer databases. C.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2004
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Crutchfield v. New Mexico Department of Taxation & Revenue (New Mexico Court of Appeals 2004, 137 N.M. 26)“…court concluded that Crutchfield’s request was governed by NMSA 1978, § 14-3-15.1(C)(l)-(5) (1995) of the Public Records…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, Chapter 29
§ 29-3A-5Expungement of records upon convictionIn forcecited in 7 of our articles
A. A person convicted of a violation of a municipal ordinance, misdemeanor or felony, following the completion of the person's sentence and the payment of any fines or fees owed to the state for the conviction, may petition the district court in which the person was convicted for an order to expunge arrest records and public records related to that conviction. B. A petitioner shall provide notice of the filed petition to the following parties, which parties shall be given an opportunity to provide to the district court any objections to the petition: (1) the district attorney for that district; (2) the department of public safety; and (3) the law enforcement agency that arrested the petitioner. C.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-01 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2024
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- In re Petition of Zoccoli (New Mexico Court of Appeals 2024)“…re offenses “committed against a child” for the purposes of NMSA 1978, Section 29-3A-5(G) (2019). Further, Petitioner has not…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: New Mexico Background Check Laws (2026 Guide), New Mexico DWI Laws: Penalties, BAC & License (2026), New Mexico Expungement Laws: How to Clear Your Criminal Record
§ 29-3A-4Expungement of records upon release without convictionIn forcecited in 3 of our articles
A. One year from the date of the final disposition in the case, a person released without conviction for a violation of a municipal ordinance, misdemeanor, felony, penalty assessments under the Criminal Code [30-1-1 NMSA 1978] and the Motor Vehicle Code [66-1-1 NMSA 1978] or violations and deferred sentences under the Motor Vehicle Code may petition the district court in the district in which the charges against the person originated for an order to expunge arrest records and public records related to that case. B. A petitioner shall provide notice by first-class United States mail of the filed petition to the following parties, which parties shall be given thirty days in which to provide to the district court any objections to the petition: (1) the district attorney for that district; and (2) the department of public safety. C. A single petition filed pursuant to Subsection A of this section may include a request to expunge multiple arrest records and public records that originated within the jurisdiction of a district. A petition shall be filed under seal or under pseudonym.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
§ 29-3A-3Expungement of records upon identity theftIn forcecited in 3 of our articles
A. A person who is wrongfully identified in arrest records or public records as a result of identity theft may petition the district court for an order to expunge arrest records and public records. B. After a hearing on the petition and upon a showing that the person is a victim of identity theft, the court shall issue an order within thirty days of the hearing requiring that all arrest records and public records be expunged. C. The court shall cause a copy of the order to be delivered to all relevant law enforcement agencies and courts. The order shall prohibit all relevant law enforcement agencies and courts from releasing copies of such records to any person, except upon order of the court. D. After notice to and a hearing for all interested parties and in compliance with all applicable law, the court shall insert in the records the correct name and other identifying information of the offender, if known or ascertainable, in lieu of the name of the person wrongly identified.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
§ 29-3A-7Effect of an order to expungeIn force
Upon entry an of order to expunge, the proceedings shall be treated as if they never occurred, and officials and the person who received the order to expunge may reply to an inquiry that no record exists with respect to the person; provided that arrest or conviction records shall be disclosed by the person and officials in connection with any application for or query regarding qualification for employment or association with any financial institution regulated by the financial industry regulatory authority or the securities and exchange commission.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
§ 29-3A-6Notices; rulemakingIn force
The administrative office of the courts and the department of public safety shall develop rules and procedures to implement the Criminal Record Expungement Act, including procedures for notifying the accused of the accused's rights under that act.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
§ 29-3A-2DefinitionsIn force
As used in the Criminal Record Expungement Act: A. "arrest records" means records of identification of a person under arrest or under investigation for a crime taken or gathered by an official; "arrest records" includes information gathered from the national crime information center or another criminal record database, photographs, fingerprints and booking sheets; except "arrest records" does not include: (1) driving while intoxicated citations maintained by the taxation and revenue department; (2) computer-aided dispatch information; or (3) log books relating to breath alcohol testing equipment; B. "expungement" means the removal from access to the general public of a notation of an arrest, complaint, indictment, information, plea of guilty, conviction, acquittal, dismissal or discharge record, including a record posted on a publicly accessible court, corrections or law enforcement internet website; and C.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
§ 29-3A-1Short titleIn forcecited in 7 of our articles
Chapter 29, Article 3A NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Criminal Record Expungement Act".
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2024
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Truitt v. N.M. Dep't of Pub. Safety (New Mexico Court of Appeals 2024)“…der denying his petition for expungement, filed pursuant to NMSA 1978, Section 29-3A-1 to -9 (2019, as amended through 2023)1…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
United States Code Title 15
§ 1681cRequirements relating to information contained in consumer reportsIn forcecited in 54 of our articles
Except as authorized under subsection (b), no consumer reporting agency may make any consumer report containing any of the following items of information: Cases under title 11 or under the Bankruptcy Act that, from the date of entry of the order for relief or the date of adjudication, as the case may be, antedate the report by more than 10 years. Civil suits, civil judgments, and records of arrest that, from date of entry, antedate the report by more than seven years or until the governing statute of limitations has expired, whichever is the longer period. Paid tax liens which, from date of payment, antedate the report by more than seven years. Accounts placed for collection or charged to profit and loss which antedate the report by more than seven years. Any other adverse item of information, other than records of convictions of crimes which antedates the report by more than seven years.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov
Cited in 383 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (2017) addressed the FACTA truncation rule in 1681c(g) and affirmed dismissal for lack of Article III standing, treating material risk of harm as a fact question. Edward Seamans v. Temple University (2014) held the seven-year window in 1681c(a)(4) is extended for an education loan only until that loan is repaid.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2017, 872 F.3d 114)✓A shopper sued two stores whose receipts printed the first six digits of his credit card number; the Second Circuit affirmed dismissal for lack of standing, seeing no clear error in the finding that those digits show only the card issuer, not a material risk of identity theft.
- Edward Seamans v. Temple University (Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2014, 744 F.3d 853)✓A defaulted university loan kept appearing on a borrower's credit reports after he repaid it because the school never reported the delinquency date; the Third Circuit held the Higher Education Act suspends section 1681c(a)(4)'s aging-off rule only until repayment.
- Gonzales v. Arrow Financial Services, LLC (Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2011, 660 F.3d 1055)✓A debt buyer offered to settle health club debts over seven years old, saying that if it was reporting the account the bureaus would be told it was settled; the Ninth Circuit, treating those debts as unreportable under section 1681c(a)(4), called that implication misleading.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Record? (2026), Alabama Background Check Laws (2026 Guide), Louisiana Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
Explore the law
The laws cited above reference these related sections in their own text:
- New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, Chapter 14 § 14-2-1.2 — Law enforcement records view in our statute record · read at the official source
- New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, Chapter 29 § 29-11A-3 — Definitions view in our statute record · read at the official source
Related law for further reading — not part of this article’s citations.
Search our full record of US law — 2.1 million sections, every state + federal →
Sources and References
- New Mexico Courts, Public Records(nmcourts.gov).gov
- New Mexico Courts, Case Lookup (caselookup.nmcourts.gov)(nmcourts.gov).gov
- New Mexico Courts, Office of General Counsel, Expungement(nmcourts.gov).gov
- New Mexico Supreme Court, Rule 1-079 NMRA, Presumption of Public Access; Scope of the Rule(supremecourt.nmcourts.gov).gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 15 U.S.C. 1681c, Requirements relating to information contained in consumer reports(law.cornell.edu)
- Federal Trade Commission, FTC Says TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate Deceived Users About Background Report Accuracy, Violated FCRA(ftc.gov).gov
- New Mexico Compilation Commission, NMSA 1978 Section 14-2-1, Right to inspect public records; exceptions(nmonesource.com)
- New Mexico Compilation Commission, NMSA 1978 Chapter 29 Article 3A, Criminal Record Expungement Act (Sections 29-3A-1 through 29-3A-9)(nmonesource.com)