Metropolitan Court’s Self-Help Center

Location

401 Lomas NW, Room 210, 2nd floor

Contact

Phone: 505-841-9817

Hours

Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Self-Help Center helps people who wish to represent themselves in small claims cases and landlord/tenant disputes. The Self-Help Center also maintains a community and legal resource list to help customers find additional assistance.

The Self-Help Center staff are not attorneys and CANNOT provide you with legal advice. They will, however, provide general information on procedures and assistance with forms.

Disclaimer: The following forms are based on forms created by the New Mexico Supreme Court. Both the forms and pamphlets are general in nature and not designed to give legal advice. Also, the Supreme Court regularly updates and revises its forms, as the law is constantly changing. Therefore, The Metropolitan Court does not guarantee that these forms are either accurate or up-to-date nor does the Court assume any legal liability or responsibility for your use of these forms and pamphlets. As there are legal consequences to any forms, which you may file with the Court, you may wish to seek the advice and assistance of an attorney before using or filing any of these forms.

Metro Court is now accepting pleadings via email.

For criminal cases including traffic citations, please email: metrpleadings@nmcourts.gov or send via fax at: (505) 222-4831.

For civil cases, please email: metrocivilpleadings@nmcourts.gov or send via fax at: (505) 222-4831.

This email and fax are only to be used to send Motions or other pleadings to the Court. This is not to be used for a direct email to the Judge. Copies of your pleading/motion need to be attached to the email, and you also need to send a copy to the opposing party or officer/prosecutor on your case. If you have an attorney, you may want to discuss your motion or pleading with your attorney before you email/fax the Court.

Please remember when emailing your motion/pleading to the court to include your name and case number in the subject line. The Court will inform you in writing if your motion/request has been approved, or you may call Customer Service at (505) 841-8151 to check on the status of your motion/request.

How to File a Civil Lawsuit Pamphlet

• Civil Summons
• Civil Complaint 
• Civil Complaint Debt Collection
• Civil Complaint in Forcible Entry or Unlawful Detainer
• Civil Complaint for Interpleader
• Civil Complaint for Unpaid Wages
• Civil Complaint by Resident for Return of Deposit
• Notice and Acknowledgement of Receipt of Summons and Complaint
• Notice of Excusal
• Demand for Record of Proceedings
• Appearance by a Corporation or Limited Liability Corporation

How to Answer a Civil Complaint Pamphlet

• Answer to Civil Complaint

Commonly Used Motions and Forms Pamphlet

• Motion for Continuance
• Order on Motion for Continuance
• Motion for Extension
• Order on Motion for Extension
• Blank Motion
• Motion to Amend Complaint
• Motion to Consolidate
• Motion to Vacate
• Motion for Entry of Satisfaction of Judgment
• Motion to Appear by Telephone at Hearing
• Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
• Motion to Dismiss Action
• Order Dismissing Action
• Notice of Dismissal of Complaint
• Request for Interpreter
• Stipulation of Dismissal
• Stipulation of Dismissal After Mediated Settlement Agreement
• Motion for Default Judgment
• Affirmation of Plaintiff in Support of Application for Default Judgment
• Motion to Set Aside Default Judgment
• Affirmation of Plaintiff in Support of Application for Garnishment or Writ of Execution
• Motion for Judgment and Statement of Noncompliance
• Satisfaction of Judgment
• Affidavit

What is Discovery? Pamphlet

Pretrial & Trial Process Pamphlet

• Plaintiff’s List of Witness
• Defendant’s List of Witness
• Plaintiff’s List of Exhibits
• Defendant’s List of Exhibits

Landlord’s Process for Evicting Tenant Pamphlet

• Three-day Notice of Nonpayment of Rent
• Three-day Notice of Substantial Violation of Rental Agreement
• Seven-day Notice of Noncompliance with Rental Agreement
• Thirty-day Notice to Terminate Rental Agreement
• Petition by Owner for Restitution
• Three-day Notice of Nonpayment of Rent (Mobile Home Park Act)
• Thirty-day Notice to Quit (Mobile Home Park Act)
• Sixty-day Notice to Quit (Mobile Home Park Act)
• Petition by Landlord for Termination of Tenancy and Judgment of Possession (Mobile Home Park)

Tenant’s Relief and Response for Landlord’s Eviction Process

• Answer to Petition for Restitution
• Answer to Petition for Termination of Tenancy (Mobile Home Park Act)
• Tenant’s Seven-day Notice of Abatement or Termination of Rental Agreement
• Thirty-day Notice to Terminate Rental Agreement
• Petition by Resident for Possession

Collection of a Judgment Pamphlet

• Application for Writ of Execution
• Notice of Right to Claim Exemptions from Execution
• Claim of Exemptions on Execution
• Application for Writ of Garnishment
• Notice of Right to Claim Exemptions (Garnishment)
• Claim of Exemption from Garnishment
• Answer by Garnishee
• Motion for Default Judgment against Garnishee
• Petition for Post-Judgment Writ of Replevin and Writ of Assistance

What is Mediation? Pamphlet

What is an Appeal? Pamphlet

If you would like to use one of the Motions below, click on the links and either print the form or motion or fill it out online and follow the instructions below.

–Motion for Continuance;

–Motion for Extension;

–Request for Telephonic Hearing; and/or

–Blank Motion

To complete the forms, you must have or install Adobe Acrobat on your computer or phone.   For help using Adobe Acrobat Reader to complete and email the forms from your phone, please see the instructional videos below for Android and iPhone devices:

https://youtu.be/bDITwIQdaw4 (iPhone)
https://youtu.be/Ot9KaiKM4J0 (Android)

Visit your app store to download Adobe Acrobat:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.adobe.reader&hl=en_US
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/adobe-acrobat-reader-for-pdf/id469337564