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Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Public Records

Find the right office in Rio Arriba County. Court cases, deeds and parcels, sheriff and jail records, vital records and county filings, each linked to the office that keeps them.

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New Mexico Federal Cases

The United States District Court for the District of New Mexico: federal civil and criminal cases filed in the state, with case records searched through PACER.

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New Mexico Unclaimed Property

The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department runs the state's unclaimed property program, where owners search for money held in their name and file a claim.

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New Mexico DPS Law Enforcement Records Bureau

Request a copy of a New Mexico State Police crash report, get fingerprint background checks, file a public records request, and find concealed carry license contacts and state crime reports.

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New Mexico Licensing

Find info on alcohol and gaming licenses, private investigation regulations, financial institutions licensing status and more.

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Local record guide

About public records in Rio Arriba County

County profile

Rio Arriba County at a glance

State
New Mexico
County seat
Tierra Amarilla
Population
40,363
Area
5,896 sq mi
Founded
1852
Cities and towns
26

Rio Arriba County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining law and order in the unincorporated areas of Rio Arriba County.

Police Departments. In addition to Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office, several municipal police departments operate within Rio Arriba County. These agencies coordinate with the Sheriff's Office on major crimes and emergencies, making sure of full coverage and response across Rio Arriba County.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 13 La Jara Street in Tierra Amarilla (PO Box 639, Tierra Amarilla, NM 87575; phone: 575-588-7350), provides primary law enforcement services throughout unincorporated areas of Rio Arriba County. Inmate information and custody status can be obtained by calling the detention center directly at 575-588-7240 or visiting the facility during business hours. The Sheriff's Office maintains jurisdiction over a vast rural territory and coordinates with other agencies including the New Mexico State Police District Six.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Rio Arriba County are maintained by Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office. Residents and attorneys can request arrest records by submitting a formal request to the Sheriff's Office, in compliance with the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Rio Arriba County are taken and retained by Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These booking photos are part of the arrest records and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office. New Mexico does not have specific mugshot removal laws, so the availability of mugshots is subject to the discretion of the Sheriff's Office and applicable privacy laws.

The Española Magistrate Court is located at 401 Nancy Plaza in Española (phone: 505-753-2387). Property tax payment and collection is handled by Rio Arriba County Treasurer's Office (phone: 505-753-4291). Rio Arriba County is served by the First Judicial District Court, which handles felony criminal cases, civil matters over $10,000, domestic relations, and appeals from lower courts. The First Judicial District Court for Rio Arriba County is located at 1122 Industrial Park Road in Española, NM 87532 (phone: 505-753-8210).

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Rio Arriba County

Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.

From the old mine records

What is on record in Rio Arriba County

Old mine sites
426
Sites with no status in the records
90
Still producing
19
Worked underground, in the mine records
104
Main minerals
Mica; construction sand and gravel; Gold
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
267
Shafts and tunnels
37
What they are
prospect pit, gravel pit, adit, mine shaft
Maps surveyed
1952 to 1995
Records behind them
856 records for 802 sites, the rest are the same working written down more than once

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 535 named mine sites inside the county, 426 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 267 holes drawn inside the county, 37 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are Mica; construction sand and gravel; Gold.

A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area.

Los Alamos County Taos County Dulce Dixon Española Gallina La Mesilla La Madera Coyote Cañones El Rito N 20 miles 600 of 743 shown
Rio Arriba County: the boundary from the Census Bureau, and one dot for each old mine or hole on record inside it. The purple dots come off the old survey maps and the darkest of those are shafts and tunnels; the red, green and orange ones are mine records. The small open circles with a name are the towns and the pale shapes around the edge are the neighbouring counties, both from the Census Bureau. Hover a dot for its name.
New Mexico mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Rio Arriba County (234 shown, 334 more named and 233 unnamed on the map)

Rows taken off the old survey maps open the USGS record of what sits at that spot, because no single feature on those maps has a page of its own. Rows from the mine records open their own USGS page.

Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.

Straight answers

Rio Arriba County public-records FAQs

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Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office or a city police department in Rio Arriba County. Ask that agency for its record.

How do I get a criminal background check in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

The New Mexico criminal history record comes from the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, Law Enforcement Records Bureau. Send a notarized DPS Authorization for Release of Information form with a money order or cashier's check payable to the Department of Public Safety to see your own arrest record (Section 29-10-6(A) of the Arrest Record Information Act). Fee: $15.00 per record check.

How can I look up sex offenders in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

Search the New Mexico DPS Sex Offender Registry, or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How do I register to vote in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

Register with the county clerk or through the New Mexico Secretary of State. You can also register online with the state online registration. Voter registration closes 28 days before an election (Section 1-4-8 NMSA 1978); same day registration is available in person at an early voting or Election Day polling location.

How do I look up property records in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Rio Arriba County are kept by the Rio Arriba County clerk. Property values are set by the county assessor, and tax bills come from the county treasurer. Source: official state page.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

Certified birth and death certificates for New Mexico come from the New Mexico Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics. Many New Mexico Public Health Offices offer Vital Records services and can issue birth certificates; death certificates must be ordered through the Santa Fe office. By mail with a certified check or money order payable to New Mexico Vital Records to Post Office Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502, or online or by phone through VitalChek, the authorized expediting service. Fee: $10 search fee per certified birth certificate; $5 per certified death certificate.

How do I find business license records in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

Business entity filings are searched with the New Mexico Secretary of State.