More than 7,100 Albuquerque residents who visit the downtown courthouse monthly will face restricted access starting Monday after the state Supreme Court ordered operational changes due to severe security staffing cuts.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office is reducing courthouse security personnel by “one-third to one-half” because of budget constraints, forcing the Second Judicial District Court to limit public access to protect the safety of court users, witnesses and staff.
“The safety and well-being of people required to go to court cannot be compromised,” Supreme Court Chief Justice David K. Thomson said in a statement.
The changes affect three Albuquerque locations: the Bernalillo County Courthouse at 400 Lomas Blvd., the Children’s Court at 5100 2nd Street NW, and the Public Safety Center at 401 Roma Ave. NW, where more than 1,600 people report monthly for pretrial services.
What changes for Albuquerque courthouse users
Starting Monday and continuing through Aug. 2:
Clerk’s office hours reduced: The main clerk’s office will close to the public during morning hours, reopening from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The domestic violence clerk’s office will operate from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Phone and electronic filing services continue normally.
Self-help center goes remote: People can no longer enter the courthouse for in-person self-help legal resources. Services will be available only by phone and online.
Most hearings move online: Civil, family and children’s court hearings will be conducted through video conferencing instead of in person.
Trials continue normally: Criminal and civil jury trials will proceed at the courthouse with no changes for jurors reporting for duty.
Security incidents prompt concern
The staffing cuts come as the courthouse has experienced increased violence. Earlier this year, family members jumped over a courtroom railing during a hearing and attacked both the defendant and a detention center officer. Last week, several members of the district attorney’s office were “verbally accosted and confronted on their way to a parking lot after a court hearing,” according to Administrative Office of the Courts spokesperson Barry Massey.
Sheriff’s deputies at the courthouse screen people entering, respond to duress alarms from judges and court staff, and intervene in courtroom disruptions and physical fights. Deputies have responded to 5,867 calls for courthouse security service so far in 2025.
Largest court in New Mexico affected
The Second Judicial District Court is the state’s largest and busiest, with 30 judges, 11 hearing officers and more than 300 employees conducting over 3,700 hearings and trials monthly.
Under state law, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for courthouse security. The sheriff’s office notified district court officials July 10 of the planned staffing reductions effective Monday.
The operational changes do not affect the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court at 401 Lomas Blvd. NW.
Part of broader staffing crisis
The courthouse security cuts reflect a statewide public safety staffing shortage. More than half of New Mexico’s detention facilities operate with vacancy rates exceeding 20%, with some facilities running at more than 50% vacancy rates.
In April, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency for Albuquerque crime, deploying National Guard troops partly to provide courthouse security support.
“We must take these precautionary steps while the district court works with Bernalillo County and its sheriff’s office to restore security staffing to necessary levels,” Thomson said in his statement. “We value our partnership with the County of Bernalillo and especially the hard work and dedication of officers assigned to the courthouse.”