Guadalupe County District Court
Guadalupe County is part of the Fourth Judicial District, which also serves Mora and San Miguel Counties. The Guadalupe County District Courthouse is located at 1448 Historic Route 66, Ste 5, Santa Rosa, NM 88435. The district location page lists phone 575-472-3888, fax 575-472-4451, and hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., open during lunch hour. The District Court is the primary trial court for high-level Guadalupe County court records.
New Mexico Courts describes district courts as general-jurisdiction trial courts. The Fourth District research identifies district court jurisdiction over tort, contract, real property rights, estate matters, domestic relations, mental health, administrative and lower-court appeals, miscellaneous civil jurisdiction, misdemeanor, exclusive criminal appeals jurisdiction, and exclusive juvenile jurisdiction. For Guadalupe County, that means District Court records can include felony cases, divorce decrees, major civil actions, formal or contested estate matters, and appeals from lower courts.
The Fourth Judicial District location source is shown below: district and magistrate courthouse contacts.
The location capture matters because it identifies the local District Court courthouse, phone, fax, and public counter hours for Guadalupe County records.
Guadalupe County Court Table
Guadalupe County does not have multiple numbered district courts listed in the research. The county has one local District Courthouse in Santa Rosa within the Fourth Judicial District, plus lower courts and a limited Probate Court. The table lists the courts and offices that commonly affect local case routing, records access, and hearing questions.
| Court or Office | Type | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guadalupe County District Courthouse | District Court | 1448 Historic Route 66, Ste 5, Santa Rosa, NM 88435 | 575-472-3888 |
| Guadalupe County Magistrate Courthouse | Magistrate Court | 1633 Historic Rt. 66, Santa Rosa, NM 88435 | 575-472-3237 |
| Guadalupe County Probate Court | Probate Court | 1448 Historic Rt. 66, Suite 1, Santa Rosa, NM 88435 | 575-472-3791 |
| Santa Rosa Municipal Court | Municipal Court | 244 S. Fourth St., Santa Rosa, NM 88435 | 575-472-4232 |
| Vaughn Municipal Court | Municipal Court | 320 E. Eighth St., Vaughn, NM 88353 | 575-584-2206 |
District Court vs Lower Courts
Guadalupe County records are easier to locate when the case type is matched to the court that created the file. District Court is the broad trial court for major and specialized case types. Magistrate Court covers many limited civil, misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, domestic violence, traffic, landlord-tenant, and felony preliminary hearing matters. Municipal courts in Santa Rosa and Vaughn handle local ordinance, petty misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, and traffic matters. Probate Court handles informal probate unless a case becomes contested.
| Category | District Court | Magistrate Court | Municipal Court | Probate Court |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil role | Major civil, real property, estate, appeals, and other general jurisdiction matters. | Tort, contract, and landlord-tenant claims from $0 to $10,000. | Municipal ordinance matters. | Informal estate matters. |
| Criminal role | Felony and criminal appeals jurisdiction. | Misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, domestic violence, and felony preliminary hearings. | Petty misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, and traffic violations. | No criminal jurisdiction. |
| Family role | Domestic relations, divorce, custody, support, and related court files. | Not the divorce court. | Not the divorce court. | Not a domestic relations court. |
| Jury trial | Available where law permits. | Limited jurisdiction with jury trials. | No jury trials. | No jury trials. |
Guadalupe County Case Flow
A criminal case can begin in a lower court even when it later becomes a District Court file. Felony preliminary hearings are magistrate matters, while felony case records proceed in District Court through indictment or information, arraignment, pretrial hearings, plea or trial, disposition, sentencing, and possible appeal. Misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, domestic violence, and traffic matters may remain in Magistrate or Municipal Court depending on the charge and issuing agency.
Criminal flow: Law enforcement referral › Magistrate first appearance or preliminary hearing › indictment or information › District Court arraignment › pretrial › plea or trial › disposition › sentencing › appeal.
Civil flow: Petition or complaint filed › service and answer › motions › hearings or discovery › settlement, trial, or judgment › post-judgment action › appeal if allowed.
Fourth Judicial District Judges
The Fourth Judicial District judge page lists three district judges serving the district. Their chambers are listed in Las Vegas, New Mexico, but they serve the district that includes Guadalupe County. Proposed text and staff contacts are judge-specific, so filings and communications should follow court rules and staff instructions. Case-specific questions should still go to the Guadalupe County District Courthouse or the assigned division as directed by court staff.
| Judge | Division | Staff / Contact | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael A. Aragon | Division I | TCAA Leighann Roybal; Court Monitor Jordan Ramirez; 505-425-7131 or 505-425-7281 option 4 then option 2 | 496 W. National Ave., Las Vegas, NM 87701 |
| Abigail P. Aragon | Division II | TCAA Stephanie Montoya; 505-425-3900 or 505-425-7281 option 4 then option 3 | 496 W. National Ave., Las Vegas, NM 87701 |
| Flora Gallegos | Chief Judge, Division III | TCAA Charlynne Otero; Court Monitor Samantha Armijo; 505-425-9352 or 505-425-7281 option 4 then option 1 | 496 W. National Ave., Las Vegas, NM 87701 |
The official judge listing is shown here: Fourth Judicial District judges.
The judge source is relevant because District Court case assignments and proposed text contacts are tied to Fourth Judicial District divisions.
Guadalupe County District Court Fees
The Fourth Judicial District fee page supplies the court filing and copy charges found in the research. These fees apply to district court filings and court-record copies, not county clerk recording fees. The district lists cash, cashier's checks, money orders, and in-state attorney checks as acceptable payment. It states personal checks and credit cards are not accepted.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| New or reopened domestic case | $137 |
| Civil and probate cases | $132 |
| Certified copy | $1.50 per pleading |
| Exemplified copy | $4.50 per pleading |
| Photocopy | $0.35 per page |
| Computer generated docket | $0.35 per page plus $5 processing fee |
| Tape or CD duplication | $10 per tape or CD |
The official fee page is shown below: Fourth Judicial District fees and costs.
The fee capture supports the District Court filing, copy, certification, and packet-cost information used for Guadalupe County court records.
Lookup Guadalupe County District Cases
Start with New Mexico Case Lookup for public case summaries. The research identifies District Court location 424 - Santa Rosa as the Guadalupe County District Court filter when location filtering is exposed. Case Lookup can be searched by name, driver license, date of birth, case number, court type, court location, case category, and filing or hearing date range. Documents are not available through Case Lookup, and personal identifying information such as Social Security numbers and address information is omitted.
For documents and registered access, use re:SearchNM when eligible or contact the District Court. For scheduled hearings, use the Fourth Judicial District docket page for current day plus six days instead of relying only on case search. If a hearing cannot be found, the district docket source says to contact the court, and it warns that hearing details may contain omissions.
The court's public records access page is a useful hub: Fourth Judicial District public records.
Guadalupe County Court Security
Fourth Judicial District security rules apply when visiting the courthouse for a District Court hearing, records counter question, filing, or copy request. Everyone entering the courthouse is subject to screening, and anyone who leaves and returns must be screened again. The security source says litigants should arrive early. Security officers will not store prohibited items, so items that cannot pass screening should be left elsewhere before arrival.
- Firearms and knives, including small pocket knives, are prohibited.
- Scissors, cutting-edge items, tools, sprays, drugs, and drug paraphernalia are prohibited.
- Photo and audio-visual equipment, including cameras and recorders, require prior court approval.
- Pets are not allowed, except qualified service animals.
- Phone and pager rules may vary by courthouse area and judge, so silence devices and ask before use.
The security source is shown below: Fourth Judicial District security rules.
The security capture helps visitors prepare for screening before entering a Guadalupe County District Court record or hearing setting.
Guadalupe County Courtroom Rules
The Fourth Judicial District courtroom conduct page adds hearing-day rules that affect how cases are heard and recorded. Court proceedings must be electronically recorded, so one speaker at a time matters. People should address the judge as "Your Honor" or "Judge." The conduct page says to advise the judge if a disability makes standing or addressing the court difficult. It also points users to remote appearance resources where those are allowed.
The official conduct source is shown here: Fourth Judicial District courtroom conduct.
The conduct source is relevant because court-record accuracy depends on clear electronic recording, proper courtroom behavior, and compliance with judge-specific instructions.
State District Court vs Federal Court
Guadalupe County District Court is a New Mexico state trial court. It is not the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. Federal civil, federal criminal, bankruptcy, immigration-related federal matters, and federal appellate records are searched through federal systems such as PACER/CM/ECF, not the Guadalupe County courthouse or the county clerk. The research found no federal courthouse located in Guadalupe County.
The federal fee page source is shown for contrast: U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico fee schedule.
The federal source helps separate state District Court records in Guadalupe County from federal court files kept outside the county court system.