Village of Los Ranchos Municipal Court
The Los Ranchos Municipal Court is one of 80 municipal courts in New Mexico. There are 94 presiding judges in these courts. There are more municipal courts than any other type of court in the state.
In New Mexico, the municipal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction as they only hear criminal cases and do not hear civil cases.
The Los Ranchos Municipal Court will hear the following types of cases: petty misdemeanors, and other municipal ordinance violations including zoning and animal control offenses. There are no jury trials and therefore the cases heard are punishable by a maximum of 179 days incarceration per offense.
Appeals of the decisions of the Los Ranchos Municipal Court are heard by the New Mexico 2nd Judicial District Court. The municipal court is an integral part of the New Mexico justice system. The commission of perjury in the municipal court is a felony.
Christina P. Argyres Municipal Judge
In light of the present public health situation: The Supreme Court of New Mexico has ordered that all court interactions, hearings, and arraignments, will be conducted in accordance with COVID-19 safety protocols. The Court requires proper social distancing and masks to be worn. If you have specific health concerns or questions, please advise the Court in advance.
Click here to view the Village Municipal Court Local Rules for COVID-19 safety protocols, emergency procedures, and precautions.
The Municipal Court Clerk, Maxine Baca, may be contacted by phone at (505) 344-6582 ext. 110, fax (575) 635-4194, or via email at mbaca@losranchosnm.gov.
Please note: The court clerk is available in person on Mondays and Thursdays from 1:30pm to 5:00pm. Documents can be submitted for filing to the fax or email above when the clerk is not available in person.
* These links are provided as a convenience. If links are unavailable, they can be obtained at New Mexico Rules of Criminal Procedure Sections 8 & 9.
Click here to view Village Ordinances
Click here to download the Rules of Procedure for the Municipal Court in Section 8 of the NMRA. The forms required by the Court are in NMRA Section 9
Click here to download the Municipal Court Rules in PDF Format
Click here to download Non-Traffic Court Familiarization in PDF Format
Click here to go to the New Mexico Courts website