Service of Process

By state law, any lawsuit filed against the State of New Mexico (including any state agency or state official) must be properly served on each individual party, the Office of the Governor, and the New Mexico Department of Justice, even if the Attorney General is not a party to the litigation. Failure to properly serve the state may be grounds to dismiss the litigation.

Service to our office may be satisfied by either of the following two options:

1. delivering a copy of the filed litigation (individually or by process server) by personally handing it to the receptionist at the front desk at any of our three offices. Please let the receptionist know the purpose of the delivery is service of process.

OR

2. mailing a copy of the filed litigation by mail or commercial courier with a signature receipt service. The date of service will be the date the receipt is signed. Mailing without a signature, or returned mailed unsigned, shall not satisfy service.

Office locations for the NM Department of Justice are listed below:

Santa Fe
408 Galisteo Street
Villagra Building
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Albuquerque
201 3rd St. NW
Suite 300
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Las Cruces
1175 Commerce Dr
Suite A
Las Cruces, NM 88001

More information regarding service of process on the NMDOJ can be found in the New Mexico Rules of Civil Procedure 1-004(E) and (H)(1) NMRA.