Your First Step in Navigating the Courts.

We provide clear information on court procedures and help explain what happens next, so you can move forward with confidence.

Phone Number:

1-855-268-7804

Hours:

Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

What We Can and Can’t Help With

Legal Information vs. Legal Advice – What’s the Difference?

Our HelpLine staff are here to help you navigate the court system, but there’s an important distinction between legal information and legal advice and understanding it will help you get the most of our services.

Legal Information includes general facts about the law, court processes, forms, and procedures. We can share this freely with anyone.

Legal Advice means applying the law to your specific situation– telling you what to do, what your options mean for your case, or what outcome to expect. Only a licensed attorney can do this.

Why can’t HelpLine staff give legal advice?

Two important reasons:

It’s the law. New Mexico law prohibits unlicensed individuals from giving legal advice. HelpLine staff are not attorneys.
Courts must stay neutral. For disputes to be resolved fairly, courts and their staff cannot take sides– even with the best intentions.

We CAN Help You With:

Encouraging you to seek legal advice and pointing you to free or low-cost legal services in New Mexico.
Providing court-approved forms and explaining what a form is asking for.
Giving you a legal citation if you already know which one you need.
Sharing general information about court processes, procedures, and practices.
Explaining how to request mediation or other alternatives to going to court.
Providing information on local court rules if we have them on hand.
Reading a court order aloud to you.
Directing you to NM OneSource to look up New Mexico laws yourself.
Explaining proper courtroom conduct.

What’s Outside Our Scope:

Recommending a specific attorney or legal resource.
Telling you what to write on a form, or creating documents for you.
Applying any law, term, or definition to your specific situation.
Performing legal research on your behalf.
Scheduling, rescheduling, or moving anything in your case.
Explaining or interpreting court orders, legal terminology, or case law.
Telling you what to say in court, or predicting what a judge might decide.
Communicating with a judge on your behalf.
Advising whether you should file a case.

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Mission of the Judicial Branch

The Mission of the New Mexico Judiciary is to protect the rights and liberties of the people of New Mexico guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the State of New Mexico and the United States; to resolve legal disputes fairly; and to ensure access to justice for all.

What Guides Us?

The New Mexico Supreme Court established Rule 23-113, which defines exactly how court staff and HelpLine staff can assist the public. You’re welcome to read Rule 23-113 for the full details.

New Mexico Courts HelpLine