New Mexico Attorney General Records,
Collection
Identifier: 1971-015
Scope and Content
As of 1997 collection consists of records of the New Mexico Attorney General and the New Mexico Solicitor General (1892-1995). Includes case files, administrative correspondence, annual reports, legal opinions, letterpress copybooks, financial documents, extraditions, and various legal documents. Materials in the collection concern both general issues such as civil rights and consumer protection, and specific matters such as the 1980 riot at the state penitentiary, and the activities of Alianza Federal de las Mercedes, a land rights organization based in northern New Mexico during the late 1960s.
Partial finding aid.
Partial finding aid.
Dates
- 1892-[ongoing]
Language of Materials
English.
Access Restrictions
Access to certain records are restricted by state statute (14-2-1 NMSA 1978). Restricted records may include investigation files or confidential materials protected by lawyer-client privilege.
Access is restricted to territorial records that have been microfilmed. Use microfilm only.
Access is restricted to territorial records that have been microfilmed. Use microfilm only.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Historical Note
The Attorney General was established in 1846 by the Kearny Code, the body of laws created by Gen. Stephen Watts Kearny for the governance of New Mexico after its annexation by the United States in 1846. In 1889 a legislative act abolished the Attorney General and established the office of Solicitor General (1889 Laws of N.M., Chp. 56, Sec. 1-2). In 1905 a legislative act changed the name of the Solicitor General to Attorney General (1905 Laws of N.M., Chp. 118, Sec. 1). Upon New Mexico's attainment of statehood in 1912 the State Attorney General was established by the New Mexico State Constitution (N.M. State Constitution, Art. 5, Sec. 1). The Attorney General serves as the chief legal advisor to the Governor and other state government officials. This includes acting as the attorney for the State Corporation Commission and providing legal assistance to the Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and State Engineer. Other duties include preparing drafts for contracts, bonds, and other instruments as required for use by the state; and prosecuting and defending all actions and proceedings involving any state employee in his or her official capacity.
Extent
1025 Linear Feet
Alternate Format
Some territorial records of the Attorney General/Solicitor-General (1890-1912) are available on microfilm as part of the Territorial Archives of New Mexico (Rolls 53-54).
Separated Materials
Photographs received with the collection are located in the "New Mexico Attorney General Photograph Collection" (SRCA Photo 0003)
General
Contact Information
- New Mexico State Records Center and Archives
- Archives and Historical Services Division
- 1205 Camino Carlos Rey
- Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
- Phone: 505-476-7908
- Fax: 505-476-7909
- Email: archives@rain.state.nm.us
- URL: http://www.state.nm.us/cpr/ahsd_top.htm
- Administrative agencies -- New Mexico
- Alianza Federal de las Mercedes
- Annual reports
- Attorneys general -- New Mexico
- Civil rights --New Mexico
- Consumer protection --New Mexico
- Extradition -- New Mexico
- Financial records
- Law --New Mexico
- Legal documents
- Legal files
- Letterpress copybooks
- New Mexico -- History -- 1848-
- New Mexico -- Politics and government -- 1848-1950
- New Mexico -- Politics and government -- 1951-
- New Mexico --Officials and employees.Territorial records
- Prison riots --New Mexico--Santa Fe
- Reports
- State government records
- Title
- Inventory of the New Mexico Attorney General Records, 1892-[ongoing]
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Processed by staff
- Date
- ©2000
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//New Mexico State Records Center and Archives//TEXT (US::Nm-Ar::1971-015::New Mexico Attorney General Records)//EN" "nmar1971-015.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives Repository