State law limits the jurisdiction of the Probate Courts to uncontested informal (with no hearings) proceedings to:
- Admitting wills to probate
- Appointing personal representatives
- Appointing special administrators
State law also allows probate judges to perform marriages within their county only.
A probate proceeding can be filed in the Rio Arriba County Probate Court if:
- The decedent was domiciled in Rio Arriba County at the time of death (i.e., Rio Arriba County was the permanent place of the decedent's abode), or
- The decedent lived outside of New Mexico but owned property in Rio Arriba County.
The probate court also provides general information about the probate process, access to and information about probate files (searches), and information about the court history.
The probate court staff can give general information about probate procedure and law but cannot give legal advice or discuss specific issues regarding cases.