Checking if you have a warrant in New Mexico is essential to avoid unexpected arrests and prevent additional charges. It stops you from being taken by surprise in some instances and makes you feel more in control of a situation. New Mexico’s criminal justice system can issue many different warrants depending on the individual and the purpose of the warrant. We’ll talk about all of these in this guide while showing you how to see if you have a warrant in this state.
How To Find If You Have A Warrant – 3 Options
There are three main ways to discover if you have a warrant in New Mexico:
- Visit the local courthouse
- Pay for your criminal record
- Search online
Visit the local courthouse
Local courts or law enforcement agencies issue most warrants in New Mexico. As a result, they’ll retain this information for you – and you’re free to head down to the courthouse or police station and ask if you have a warrant in your name. It’s a simple way of doing things, but perhaps the least accurate. Your warrant may have been issued by a different court, so the records might not be at the one you’ve visited.
Pay for your criminal record
Residents of New Mexico can pay for their criminal records from the New Mexico Department of Safety. You must complete and print out this Authorization for Release of Information form and submit it to the Department of Safety. It’ll cost $15 to do this, but you’ll be given all of your criminal records. If you’ve had warrants issued under your name, they should appear within these records and you can see a) what they are, and b) if they’re still valid.
Search online
Perhaps the easiest and quickest way to see if you have a warrant in New Mexico is by using different online searches. This state follows the Federal Freedom of Information Act, which means things like warrants are considered public records that everyone should be able to access. Various tools are available online to let you type in your name and address to see what public records are kept. In turn, this should show you any outstanding warrants in your name – you can also use these tools to look for warrants in other people’s names.
Two of the best and most consistently accurate records lookup tools in New Mexico are:
What To Do If You Have A Warrant in New Mexico
Use any or all three of the methods displayed above and you’ll soon see if you have an active warrant in New Mexico. What should you do if your searches prove there is a warrant in your name? First of all, do not panic. Your first instinct is to run and hide, but this will likely lead to further charges and make the whole situation harder to deal with.
The best course of action is to contact a criminal defense lawyer before doing anything else. They’ll talk through the situation with you and provide legal advice on what to do next. This may involve a voluntary surrender, or it could result in fighting the warrant as it’s deemed unjust. If you find yourself in this situation, feel free to contact Lizzy Bunker Law today.
Main Types Of Warrants in New Mexico
All warrants in New Mexico fall into one of three categories:
- Arrest Warrant
- Search Warrant
- Bench Warrant
Arrest Warrant
An arrest warrant is exactly what you might expect. The courts have issued a warrant for your arrest as you’re judged to have committed a crime. This is one of the more common warrants in New Mexico – but also one that’s frequently issued incorrectly.
For an arrest warrant to be legally upstanding, there must be clear probable cause with credible evidence. That’s why it’s crucial to get legal representation the moment you discover an arrest warrant. They could look at it and determine the evidence is nowhere near strong enough to be considered “probable cause”, meaning the warrant is technically not valid.
Alternatively, they may see the warrant as pretty concrete, advising you to turn yourself in so you can be officially charged and begin court proceedings before more charges are drawn up against you.
Search Warrant
A search warrant is issued when local law enforcement agencies wish to search you, your property, or your vehicle. They can obtain this warrant if they believe any of these things are connected with a crime. As with an arrest warrant, there must be sufficient evidence showing why they wish to search you or your property.
Interestingly, search warrants in New Mexico are only valid for 10 days. If you find a search warrant on your record that’s older than this, the police cannot legally conduct their search without obtaining a new one. Search warrants are also only allowed to be served between 6 am and 10 pm.
Bench Warrant
Bench warrants are handed out when you fail to do any of the following:
- Attend scheduled court hearings
- Pay fines/fees
- Violate court orders
This is another hugely common warrant in New Mexico – arguably the most common of the three. When a bench warrant is issued, it automatically allows law enforcement agencies to arrest the individual.
Get Legal Help For New Mexico Warrants Today!
Carry out the necessary searches and see if you have a warrant in your name. If you do, then it’s important to get legal help immediately. Don’t try anything else as you run the risk of putting yourself in a much worse situation.
Contact us today and we’ll offer criminal defense help in New Mexico for a range of charges. This will help you put your best foot forward to achieve the most desirable outcome given your situation. Click here to schedule your consultation.
