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Records of the United States Territorial and New Mexico District Courts for Bernalillo County,

 Collection
Identifier: 1959-124

Scope and Content

Collection consists of the territorial and New Mexico district court records for Bernalillo County (1847-1925). The bulk of the material covers the years, 1847-1917. Included are record books (1849-1917), case files (1848-1927), and other court material (1847-1924). Record books consist of various dockets (1849-1917), court proceedings record books (1851-60, 1865-78, 1882-1912), jury record books (1892, 1905-1914), and cash books (1878-81, 1882-1912). Dockets include criminal (1849-74, 1879-81, 1883-1917), civil (1849-1912), judgment (1882-90, 1892-1917), law (1865-78), and execution (1894-95) volumes. Indices for some of the criminal and civil dockets are also included. Cash books consist of: cost book (1861-81), fee book (1853-96), cash receipt book (1894-1903), and cash book (1904-12). Court proceedings record books, judgment dockets, and judge's record books include material for Dona Ana, Socorro, and Valencia Counties. Cash books include material for McKinley, Sandoval, and Valencia Counties. Case files consist of criminal cases to 6460 (1927) and civil cases 1-9229 (1848-1913). Also included are Civil War confiscation cases. Some cases after 1913 are not part of this collection. Most statehood material remains with the Judicial District Court Clerk. Other court material consists of bar admissions, subpoenas, oaths, bonds, and unprocessed court records.

Some materials are in Spanish.

Gaps may exist between case files.

Dates

  • 1848-1925

Language of Materials

English.

Access Restrictions

None

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication allowed for research purposes. User 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. Bernalillo was one of these original seven counties. New Mexico remained under a military form of government until September 9, 1850, when an Act of Congress established the Territory of New Mexico. On January 9, the boundaries of the counties were fixed by an Act of the Territorial Legislative Assembly.

Bernalillo County was placed in the 3rd Judicial District of the United States Territorial Courts in New Mexico in 1846. In 1863 Bernalillo County was transferred from the 3rd to the 2nd Judicial District. Upon statehood in 1912 the Territorial Courts became the New Mexico District Courts.

Extent

116 linear feet + 75 v.

Organization

Collection is organized into six series:
  1. I. Docket Books and Indexes
  2. II. Record Books and Journals
  3. III. Miscellaneous Outsize Books
  4. IV. Miscellaneous Records
  5. V. Criminal Case Files
  6. VI. Civil Case Files

Related Material

Naturalization records are located in the "Naturalization Records by New Mexico Courts" (Accession Number 1959-281).

Most statehood material remains with the Judicial District Court Clerk.

Other records from this district court are available at the National Archives Field Branch in Denver, Colorado.

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
Title
Inventory of the Records of the United States Territorial and New Mexico District Courts for Bernalillo County, 1848-1925
Status
Edited Full Draft
Author
Processed by Melissa 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::1959-124::Records of the United States Territorial and New Mexico District Courts for Bernalillo County)//EN" "nmar1959-124.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
  • Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.

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