2nd Judicial District Court to reduce public access due to security staffing cuts

The 2nd Judicial District Court announced on Sunday it will limit the number of people entering the courthouse and other court locations because of increased violence at courthouses, according to court officials.

The decision came after the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office announced it would reduce the number of deputies who provide security at the courthouse.

On July 10, BCSO notified the district court it planned to reduce the number of deputies who secure the courthouse “by one-third to one-half” beginning Monday due to budget constraints, Administrative Office of the Courts spokesperson Barry Massey said.

Under state law, the sheriff’s office is responsible for security at the court, Massey said.

BCSO did not respond Sunday to a request for comment.

The court’s decision also comes after a couple of incidents took place inside and outside the courthouse.

In January, multiple people got into a melee inside the 2nd Judicial District courthouse during a hearing for an accused murderer.

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,” Massey said.

Massey said he did not have the names of those involved from the recent incident.

“The safety and well-being of people required to go to court cannot be compromised,” New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice David K. Thomson said in a news release. “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.”

Due to the reduction in staff, starting on Monday:

• The main clerk’s office will be limiting its hours to 1-4 p.m.
• The domestic violence clerk’s office will be open from 12:30-3:30 p.m., though it will continue to respond to calls and electronic fillings.
• The self-help center will be limited to online and telephone inquiries.
• Civil, family and children’s court case hearings will be conducted remotely.

The district court operates in three locations: the Bernalillo County Courthouse, Children’s Court in the Juvenile Justice Center and the Judicial Supervision and Diversion Programs at the Public Safety Center.

The reduction of in-person services, however, does not apply to the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, Massey said. Criminal and civil jury trials and other proceedings — like sentencing hearings — will continue to take place at the courthouse as usual. People reporting for jury selection and trials will still be able to come in, Massey said.

“We value our partnership with the county of Bernalillo and especially the hard work and dedication of officers assigned to the courthouse,” Thomson said. “However, our paramount concern is protecting jurors, witnesses, victims and their families, attorneys, court employees, judges and members of the public who come to the district court for trials, hearings and other court business.”

Judicial leaders are changing district court operations temporarily through Aug. 2 while attempting to bring security up to adequate levels, he said.

The 2nd Judicial District Court is the largest district court in the state, with 30 judges, 11 hearing officers and more than 300 employees. Over 7,100 people visit the clerk and self-help offices monthly, Massey said. So far in 2025, there have been 5,867 calls for services to deputies to provide court security, he said.