The Second Judicial District Court
New Mexico runs 13 judicial districts. Bernalillo County is the Second Judicial District, and it is the busiest in the state because it covers Albuquerque. The official court overview describes it as the largest court of original jurisdiction in New Mexico, with roughly 350 employees and divisions for civil, criminal, domestic relations, and children's court, plus jury, records, fiscal, and self-help support.
The court is a general-jurisdiction trial court. That means it can hear almost any kind of case, unlike the limited-jurisdiction Metropolitan Court. District Court handles all felony cases, appeals of Metro Court criminal cases, extraditions, and search-warrant requests. On the civil side it handles torts, contracts, foreclosures, name changes, criminal-record expungements, and probate or estate matters that are contested or outside the Probate Court's reach.
District Court Divisions and Addresses
The court is organized by division, and each one keeps its own filings and phone line. Most divisions sit in the main courthouse at 400 Lomas Boulevard NW, while Children's Court has its own building. The table below lists each division with its address and phone.
| Division | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Second Judicial District Court (main) | 400 Lomas Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 | 505-841-8400 |
| Civil Division | 400 Lomas Blvd NW, Room 119, 1st Floor | 505-841-7451 |
| Criminal Division | 400 Lomas Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 | 505-841-7444 / 505-841-7542 |
| Domestic Relations | 400 Lomas Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 | 505-841-7421 |
| Children's Court | John E. Brown Juvenile Justice Center, 5100 Second St NW, Room 173 | 505-841-7366 |
The Civil Division covers automobile and accident cases, personal injury, property damage, malpractice, breach of contract, landlord-tenant matters, foreclosure, name changes, expungements, and driver's license restoration. The Criminal Division handles felonies and Metro Court criminal appeals. Domestic Relations covers divorce, custody, visitation, paternity, and kinship guardianship. Children's Court handles delinquency, abuse and neglect, adoptions, and mental health, and those records are heavily restricted.
Looking Up a District Court Case
District Court cases are searched through New Mexico Judiciary Case Lookup. After accepting the disclaimer, search by name or case number and limit the search to Court Type D for District Court and Court Location 202 - Albuquerque to keep results inside Bernalillo County. The portal is for viewing individual records; bulk downloading is prohibited.
Every Second Judicial District case number follows the format D202ZZYYYYXXXXX. The D202 part marks this court in Albuquerque, ZZ is the case type such as CV for civil or CR for criminal, YYYY is the four-digit year, and XXXXX is the sequence number. The court's example is D202CV201103421. For the full search walkthrough and field table, see the Bernalillo County court records page, and for hearing schedules see court dockets.
District Court vs Metro Court vs Probate Court
Bernalillo County is unusual. Instead of a magistrate court, it has the Metropolitan Court for limited-jurisdiction matters. That makes three trial-level courts in the county, each with its own lane. The comparison below shows which court hears what.
| Feature | District Court | Metro Court | Probate Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | General | Limited | Limited |
| Jury trials | Yes | Yes | No |
| Criminal | Felonies, appeals | Misdemeanors, DWI, first appearances | None |
| Civil | No dollar limit | Up to $10,000 | None |
| Family | Divorce, custody, children's court | Domestic violence matters | None |
| Estates | Contested probate | None | Informal probate |
Many felony cases start in Metro Court for a first appearance, then move to District Court after indictment or bind-over. That is why a case may show a T4 prefix early and a D202CR prefix later. Misdemeanors and DWI stay in Metro Court. Contested estates move from Probate Court to the District Court Civil Division.
How a Case Moves Through the System
A criminal case in Bernalillo County usually follows a clear path from arrest to appeal. The route depends on whether the charge is a misdemeanor or a felony, but the felony track is the one that pulls in the District Court.
Arrest and booking at MDC → first appearance at Metro Court → preliminary hearing or grand jury → bind-over or indictment to District Court → arraignment, motions, plea or trial at District Court → sentencing → appeal to the New Mexico Court of Appeals.
- Arrest and booking are handled by the arresting agency and MDC.
- The first appearance and preliminary matters happen at Metro Court.
- A felony is bound over or indicted into the Second Judicial District Court.
- District Court holds arraignment, motions, and the plea or trial.
- The judge imposes a sentence after a plea or guilty verdict.
- An appeal goes to the New Mexico Court of Appeals.
Civil cases skip the Metro Court steps and start directly at District Court when they exceed the limited-jurisdiction dollar cap. Divorce and family cases start in the Domestic Relations Division. For booking and custody, see inmate records.
Specialty and Treatment Courts
The Second Judicial District runs several problem-solving courts. These programs handle qualifying defendants through court-supervised treatment rather than ordinary prosecution. They are not automatic; a judge, prosecutor, and program decide who is eligible.
- Adult Treatment Courts, including Young Adult Court, Mental Health Court, and Felony DWI Court, at 505-841-5479.
- DWI Specialty Court Program for qualifying repeat or felony DWI cases.
- Assisted Outpatient Treatment at 505-841-7627.
- Juvenile Drug Court under Children's Court Programs at 505-841-5900.
- Domestic Abuse Prevention Program and co-parenting education at 505-841-7466.
These programs are tied to pretrial services and treatment supervision. The court's overview describes Adult Drug Court as a program for selected individuals with substance-use issues who agree to court supervision. Success can positively affect a participant's legal status.
Courthouse Location and Visiting
The main courthouse sits at 400 Lomas Boulevard NW in downtown Albuquerque, across Lomas from the Metropolitan Court at 401 Lomas Blvd NW and near the federal courthouse complex. The current building was completed in June 2001 at a cost of $45 million. The court traces its history to Old Town and an 1886 courthouse financed by a local law firm.
The most important visiting rule is the cell phone ban. The Second Judicial District does not allow cell phones in the building and offers no storage for them. Visitors are screened, and prohibited items include weapons, blades, pepper spray, lighters, and metal objects that could be used as weapons. Plan around the phone rule before you arrive. The main verification line is 505-841-8400.
Note: Leave your phone in the car before visiting the District Court, since there is no storage and screening will turn you away with it.