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Records of the United States Territorial and New Mexico District Court Clerks,

 Collection
Identifier: 1974-033

Scope and Content

Collection consists of the court clerk correspondence for the 1st Judicial District Court, the 3rd Judicial District Court, the 4th Judicial District Court, the 6th Judicial District Court, and the 8th Judicial District Court (1879-1970). The bulk of correspondence covers the years 1879-1912 and 1960-1970. Some correspondence for the 1st and 4th Judicial District Courts is located in letterpress books (1897-1911). Collection also includes criminal and civil cases for Bernalillo, Chavez, Colfax, Doña Ana, Eddy, Grant, Lincoln, Rio Arriba, San Juan, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Socorro, Taos, Union, and Valencia County District Courts (1853-1962). Cases include suits against the Atchinson, Tokepa, and Santa Fe Railroad, bankruptcy proceedings, and coal company cases. Also included are the U.S. District Court Case U.S. vs. Hope Community Ditch, et.al. (1933), and the Supreme Court of the United States case State of Arizona vs. State of California, et.al (1955). Criminal and civil cases are arranged alphabetically by county. Large gaps do exist between case files. Several cases within the 2nd and 3rd Judicial District Courts do not indicate a specific county seat. Miscellaneous records include a United States Grand Jury Report of the 1st Judicial District (1898), a list of suits filed for the Taos County District Court (1853-1854), and a court record fragment for the Valencia County District Court (1853).

Some materials are in Spanish.

Dates

  • 1853-1970 (Bulk 1882-1960)

Language of Materials

English,

Access Restrictions

None

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Historical Note

With the occupation of New Mexico in 1846 by the United States, seven political sub-divisions established by Mexico in 1844 were recognized as counties under the Kearny Code of Laws. New Mexico remained under a military form of government until September 9, 1950, when an Act of Congress established the Territory of New Mexico. On January 9, 1852, the boundaries of the counties were fixed by an Act of the Territorial Legislative Assembly. Each county was assigned to a judicial district. Many of these judicial designations changed as county lines moved and new counties were created. Each district court was responsible for appointing a district court clerk for each county of the judicial district. One person was often named as the clerk for more than one county.

Extent

25 volumes (Letterpress books) (8 linear feet)

Organization

Collection is organized into three series:
  1. I. Correspondence (1879-1970)
  2. II. Criminal and Civil Case Files (1864-1962)
  3. III. Miscellaneous (1853-1898)

General

Contact Information

  1. New Mexico State Records Center and Archives
  2. Archives and Historical Services Division
  3. 1205 Camino Carlos Rey
  4. Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
  5. Phone: 505-476-7908
  6. Fax: 505-476-7909
  7. Email: archives@rain.state.nm.us
  8. URL: http://www.state.nm.us/cpr/ahsd_top.htm

General

General

Most statehood material remains with the individual Judicial District Court Clerks.
Title
Inventory of the Records of the United States Territorial and New Mexico District Court Clerks, 1853-1970 (Bulk 1882-1960)
Status
Edited Full Draft
Author
Processed by Melissa T. Salazar
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::1974-033::Records of the United States Territorial and New Mexico District Court Clerks)//EN" "nmar1974-033.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

Contact:
1209 Camino Carlos Rey
Santa Fe NM 87507
(505) 476-7948