Situated in the southeastern part of New Mexico, Eddy County has a land area of 4,176.3 square miles. It has an estimated population of 62,314 residents and a total of 26,277 housing units. The county’s seat and largest city is Carlsbad City.

Courts in Eddy County

Courts that operate in Eddy County include the County District Court, the County Probate Court, the County Magistrate Court, and the Municipal Courts.

Eddy County District Court is a court of general jurisdiction. It has authority over civil matters such as tort, contract, real property, debt, and other claims involving more than $10,000. The court also has jurisdiction over a wide range of criminal cases, including felonies and misdemeanors. It also hears criminal appeals from lower courts.  It also hears juvenile and family matters, including delinquency and dependency, child abuse, domestic violence, divorce, custody, support, and adoption. The court has exclusive jurisdiction over formal probate cases, but it shares jurisdiction over informal probate cases with the Eddy County Probate Court.

Informal probate matters within the jurisdiction of the Eddy County Probate Court include informal appointment of personal representatives and cases on undisputed wills.

The Eddy County Magistrate Courts have limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases in the county. Matters within the jurisdiction of the Magistrates include civil cases involving $10,000 or less, misdemeanor cases, and preliminary hearings for felonies. The courts also hear cases on traffic and county ordinance violations.

Eddy County is also home to Municipal Courts that operate within its cities. Cases within the jurisdiction of the Municipal Courts include criminal domestic violence, petty misdemeanors, DUI cases, traffic cases, and municipal ordinance violations. The Municipal Courts do not hold jury trials.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Eddy County

Courts in Eddy County maintain records of cases they handle. Members can access these records at the court that heard the case. Researchers can also request copies of District and Magistrate Courts records by completing the online request form. Probate court records are in the custody of the Eddy County Clerk, while each Municipal Court has a clerk or records department. Furthermore, records of the District Court, Magistrate Courts, and Municipal Courts are available online on the statewide case lookup portal and the Odyssey public access portal. The Odyssey portal requires registration by each user.

Types of Public Court Records in Eddy County

Court records include materials and documents relating to a court case. These records are generally considered public in Eddy County, and they include:

• Case filings
• Parties’ pleadings
• Exhibits
• Court docket
• Judgment and orders

Confidential Court Records in Eddy County

Confidential court records are exempt from public access and are only open to persons and bodies stipulated by law. Some examples of confidential court records in Eddy County are:

• Adoption records
• Juvenile records
• Records containing information protected by lawyer-client privilege
• Records sealed by court order
• Records containing trade secrets
• Records containing probate and parole information

Juvenile Delinquency in Eddy, NM

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Eddy County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in New Mexico often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 466 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Eddy County. Of that total, 82% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 384 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Eddy County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Eddy County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Eddy County, NM

http://www.newmexico.gov/

County Seat:	Carlsbad
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1887
Total Square Miles:	4,198
2019 Population:	56,997
Persons/Square Mile:	0.07
County Contact:	101 W Greene St County Administration Complex Carlsbad , NM 88220-6258 http://www.co.eddy.nm.us

Eddy County, NM Courts