Search San Juan County Court Records
Most public case searches begin with New Mexico Case Lookup. The judiciary describes it as the free public search for individual electronic court records from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, District Court, Magistrate Court, and some Municipal Court data. It is useful for San Juan County District Court, Aztec Magistrate Court, Farmington Magistrate Court, and listed municipal locations, but it is not a document download system. Public users can search by name, case number, DWI tab, driver license details, court type, court location, case category, and filing or hearing date.
The system first shows a disclaimer. It says the search is for viewing individual electronic court records only, and bulk download attempts are prohibited under New Mexico database law. District and Magistrate case information is described as current within 24 hours after data is entered. If the record shown online looks wrong, the judiciary directs users to notify the court where the case was heard.
- Open New Mexico Case Lookup and accept the court system disclaimer.
- Choose a name, case number, or DWI search, depending on the information available.
- Filter by court type when possible. San Juan County users often choose District Court, Magistrate Court, or Municipal Court.
- Use the court location list for Farmington/Aztec District Court, Aztec Magistrate, Farmington Magistrate, or the city court that issued the citation.
- Review case details, docket entries, and hearing dates, then contact the clerk or use the court IPRA form if documents are needed.
San Juan County Court System
San Juan County is in New Mexico's Eleventh Judicial District, Division I. The main trial court is District Court, with public court locations in Aztec and Farmington. District Court handles felony criminal cases, major civil matters, domestic relations, mental health cases, juvenile jurisdiction, lower-court appeals, and contested estate disputes. Magistrate Court handles misdemeanors, DWI/DUI, traffic violations, landlord-tenant matters, small civil claims up to $10,000, and felony preliminary hearings. Municipal Courts handle city ordinance, petty misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, and city traffic cases without jury trials.
The Eleventh Judicial District site links San Juan users to court hearing schedules, jury duty, case lookup, forms, public records, and court contact pages. The official San Juan District Court page also lists local judges and administrators. For a broad court search, Case Lookup is usually first. For copies, sealed records, older documents, or files that do not display online, the correct clerk is the court clerk where the case was filed.
| Court or Office | San Juan County Role | Common Records |
|---|---|---|
| District Court | General jurisdiction trial court | Felony, divorce, civil, juvenile, appeals, contested probate |
| Magistrate Court | Limited jurisdiction with jury trials | Misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, traffic, preliminary hearings, small civil |
| Municipal Court | City limited-jurisdiction court | City traffic, municipal ordinance, petty misdemeanor, DWI/DUI |
| Probate Court | County informal probate court | Uncontested estates and informal probate filings |
| County Clerk | Recorded documents and Probate Judge clerk | Deeds, marriage licenses, plats, commission minutes, probate clerk filings |
San Juan County Court Locations
The official San Juan District Court page shows the two District Court locations that anchor most higher-level court business in the county. Aztec District Court is the county-seat location, while Farmington District Court serves the county's largest city. Magistrate courts are also split between Aztec and Farmington, so a traffic, misdemeanor, landlord-tenant, or preliminary-hearing search should not assume the file is at District Court.
The image from the Eleventh Judicial District San Juan District Court page reflects the official source for San Juan County District Court contacts.
That court page is the best county-specific court source for Aztec and Farmington District Court address, phone, fax, hours, and judge information.
Aztec District Court
103 South Oliver
Aztec, NM 87410
505-334-6151
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Farmington District Court
851 Andrea Drive
Farmington, NM 87401
505-326-2256
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
San Juan County Clerk
100 S. Oliver Dr., Suite 200
Aztec, NM 87410
505-334-9471
Monday-Thursday, 7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
San Juan County Case Lookup Fields
Case Lookup has more filters than a simple name search. The field list matters in San Juan County because the same person may have records in District, Magistrate, or Municipal Court. Court location codes observed in the research include District Court location 1116 for Farmington/Aztec, Magistrate Court locations 47 Farmington and 147 Aztec, and Municipal Court locations 70 Aztec, 72 Bloomfield, and 92 Farmington. Municipal data is limited, so direct city court contact may still be needed for some citation records.
| Field | Use in San Juan County Court Search |
|---|---|
| Name | Uses Last First Middle format and can locate party records when a case number is unknown. |
| Driver's License and DL State | Useful for traffic, DWI, and citation-related court searches. |
| Date of Birth | Helps separate people with similar names; a year-only option is also available. |
| Court Type | Filters District, Magistrate, Metropolitan, or Municipal Court records. |
| Court Location | Limits results to Farmington/Aztec District, Aztec Magistrate, Farmington Magistrate, or city court values. |
| Filing or Hearing Date | Enables date range searching for filed cases or upcoming hearing records. |
San Juan County Court Record Types
San Juan County court records include civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, warrant-related, and lower-court files. District Court produces felony criminal records, divorce records, domestic relations files, large civil matters, juvenile matters, lower-court appeals, and contested estate cases. Magistrate Court produces many misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, traffic, landlord-tenant, preliminary-hearing, and small civil records. Municipal Courts can hold city citation and ordinance files, though statewide public online municipal data is narrower than District and Magistrate access.
Some records that people expect from the court are held elsewhere. The San Juan County Adult Detention Center keeps jail booking and detainee lookup records. The County Clerk keeps recorded documents and marriage licenses, but the clerk states that divorce proceedings are District Court matters. The Probate Court handles informal estate matters, while contested probate disputes move to District Court.
- Court records show case numbers, parties, events, hearings, dispositions, and court locations.
- Criminal records show charges filed in court, pleas, motions, outcomes, and sentences.
- Traffic records may sit in Magistrate or Municipal Court and are separate from MVD driver history.
- Marriage records are County Clerk records, while divorce records are District Court records.
- Inmate records come from the Adult Detention Center, not Case Lookup.
San Juan County Public Access
New Mexico law and court rules support public access, but online access is not the same as unlimited access to every document. The Inspection of Public Records Act recognizes a broad right to inspect public records unless an exception applies. Court records also follow Rule 1-079 NMRA, which treats court records as public unless sealed by court order or protected by law. Online court access is further shaped by the judiciary's case access policy.
Key access rules:
NMSA 1978, Section 14-2-1 gives New Mexico a broad public-record inspection rule.
NMSA 1978, Section 14-2-8(D) requires written requests to identify records with reasonable detail.
NMSA 1978, Section 14-3-15.1 limits misuse and bulk download of public database records.
Online court access policy explains access tiers for Case Lookup, SOPA, and re:SearchNM.
San Juan County Court Documents
Case Lookup shows case information, but the judiciary says documents are not available through that public tool. Registered access systems fill part of that gap. Odyssey Public Access and Secure Odyssey Public Access are registered or login-gated channels. re:SearchNM gives registered users access to Odyssey case information and documents by user profile for civil, criminal, family, and probate cases from appellate, district, magistrate, and metropolitan courts.
The screenshot from the Eleventh Judicial District public records page shows how the district points users toward Case Lookup, re:SearchNM, and IPRA channels.
For San Juan County case-file documents that are not available online, the user should contact the court clerk where the record is held or submit the New Mexico Courts IPRA request.
Restricted San Juan County Records
Several record groups are not fully public online. New Mexico's public access page says juvenile criminal cases are no longer displayed in Case Lookup effective July 1, 2007. Family Violence Protection Act order-of-protection cases are no longer displayed effective July 1, 2008. Case Lookup also does not display Social Security numbers or address information, and public Case Lookup does not provide documents.
Sealed records and expunged criminal records need special care. Rule 1-079 controls public inspection and sealing of court records. The New Mexico Courts expungement materials describe cannabis and other criminal-record expungement under the Criminal Records Expungement Act. A San Juan County criminal-record relief request should start with the official court forms and the District Court where the case was filed.
Note: Restricted online display does not always mean the record never exists; it may require court approval, higher-tier access, or direct clerk review.
San Juan County Clerk Routing
New Mexico's San Juan County records structure is split. District Court clerks maintain District Court case files. Magistrate Court clerks maintain Magistrate Court files. The San Juan County Clerk records deeds, mortgages, marriage licenses, plats, surveys, UCCs, commission minutes, and other public documents, and also serves as the court clerk for the Probate Judge. The County Clerk does not record divorce records and does not schedule jury duty or handle trials.
The County Clerk's recording department offers a Kofile CountyFusion grantor/grantee index, email copy requests at clerks@sjcounty.net, in-person service in Aztec, mail recording to PO Box 550, and accepted eRecording vendors. County records and sheriff records can also route through the San Juan County JustFOIA portal, but court case records use the court clerk or court IPRA process.
| Need | Correct Office | Route |
|---|---|---|
| District Court case file | District Court Clerk | Case Lookup, clerk contact, or court IPRA |
| Recorded deed or mortgage | County Clerk | CountyFusion index, email, mail, or in person |
| Marriage certificate | County Clerk | Email or call with names and date of marriage |
| Divorce record | District Court | Farmington or Aztec District Court |
| Jail booking record | Adult Detention Center | Detainee Inquiry or ADC contact |
San Juan County Sheriff and Jail
The San Juan County Sheriff's Office lists an Aztec office, Lee Acres substation, and Kirtland substation, all reachable through 505-334-6107. Patrol deputies can be reached around the clock through non-emergency dispatch at 505-334-6622. The sheriff site links to records requests, complaints, general feedback, media releases, and detention resources. Its Civil/Court Services/Transport division serves process, provides District Court security, and handles prisoner transport.
The Adult Detention Center at 871 Andrea Drive in Farmington has a public Tyler/New World detainee inquiry. It provides booking, charge, bond, and photo details for current and past detainees. The San Juan County inmate records page covers roster fields, visitation approval, mail, money, and state custody alternatives in more detail.
The image from the Eleventh Judicial District location and contact page helps connect court contacts with custody and case routing in San Juan County.
For recent arrests, the jail roster is often faster than a court search because court charges may lag behind booking events.
San Juan County Traffic Records
Traffic records can split between Magistrate Court, Municipal Court, District Court, and the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division. The MVD traffic ticket page says a citation may offer penalty assessment payment or require a court appearance. If Court Appearance or Traffic Arraignment is checked and the person does not appear by the required date, the court may issue a bench warrant and license renewal may be suspended.
A court traffic case file is different from a driver history. The court file shows citation events, hearings, pleas, dispositions, fines, warrants, and orders. A driver history is an MVD record showing licensing history, convictions, and status. MVD online driver records cost $6.63 for non-certified and $9.99 for certified driver records, according to the official MVD service page.
San Juan County Marriage Probate
Marriage licenses are issued by the County Clerk at 100 S. Oliver Dr., Suite 200 in Aztec. Both applicants must appear, bring current legal picture ID or a birth certificate, bring proof of Social Security number, and pay the $55.00 license fee. The license is valid immediately, does not expire, and must be returned to the Clerk's office after the ceremony for recording. Certified marriage copies cost $2.00.
Divorce is different. The County Clerk says it does not record divorce records and directs users to District Court. Informal probate is handled by the San Juan County Probate Judge, Gary Risley, at 100 South Oliver Drive. The Probate Court filing fee for informal probate is $30.00. Contested estate cases go to District Court.
- Probate
- The court process for estates, wills, and personal representatives.
- Personal representative
- The person appointed to administer an estate.
- Contested estate
- An estate dispute that must move from limited probate handling to District Court.
San Juan County Record Fees
Published fees vary by office and record type. Court filing and copy fees should be confirmed with the court that holds the case file. The County Clerk's recording page gives local fees for recorded documents, copies, certification, maps, plats, marriage licenses, and informal probate. Credit and debit card purchases carry a 2.5 percent convenience fee.
| Item | Published Amount |
|---|---|
| Recorded document first ten entries | $25.00 |
| Each additional ten entries | $25.00 |
| Recorded document copy | $1.00 per page |
| Certification | $1.00 |
| Certified marriage license copy | $2.00 |
| Maps and plats | $5.00 per page |
| Marriage license | $55.00 |
| Informal probate docket fee | $30.00 |
San Juan County Court Updates
Recent official-source items affect how San Juan County residents use court and custody systems. New Mexico Courts pages displayed a notice that all New Mexico Courts were closed Friday, June 19, 2026. New Mexico Courts also reported a June 2026 jury notification change to bilingual postcards. For custody records, the Adult Detention Center states that beginning January 20, 2026, visitors must be approved before participating in video visits.
The image from the Eleventh Judicial District home page shows the district entry point for San Juan County court services.
Those official court links remain the practical starting point for dockets, jury service, court forms, public records, and San Juan County courthouse contact details.
San Juan County Court FAQ
Where do most San Juan County court searches start?
Most searches start with New Mexico Case Lookup. It is free and covers statewide electronic case information for District, Magistrate, appellate, and some Municipal Court data. Documents are not available there.
Does the County Clerk keep divorce records?
No. The San Juan County Clerk states that divorce proceedings are District Court matters. Use the Aztec or Farmington District Court contact, Case Lookup, or court IPRA channels.
Is there a public San Juan County warrant list?
No official public active-warrant list was located in the research. Check Case Lookup, the detainee inquiry for recent custody, the issuing court, or sheriff records request channels.
Can court documents be downloaded from Case Lookup?
No. Case Lookup shows case information. Documents require authorized registered access, direct clerk contact, in-person inspection, or a New Mexico Courts IPRA request.