N.M. Stat. § 38-3-1
County in which civil action in district court may be
commenced.
All civil actions commenced in the district courts shall be brought and shall be
commenced in counties as follows and not otherwise:
A. First, except as provided in Subsection F of this section relating to foreign
corporations, all transitory actions shall be brought in the county where either the
plaintiff or defendant, or any one of them in case there is more than one of either,
resides; or second, in the county where the contract sued on was made or is to be
performed or where the cause of action originated or indebtedness sued on was
incurred; or third, in any county in which the defendant or either of them may be found in
the judicial district where the defendant resides.
B. When the defendant has rendered himself liable to a civil action by any criminal
act, suit may be instituted against the defendant in the county in which the offense was
committed or in which the defendant may be found or in the county where the plaintiff
resides.
C. When suit is brought for the recovery of personal property other than money, it
may be brought as provided in this section or in the county where the property may be
found.
D. (1) When lands or any interest in lands are the object of any suit in whole or in
part, the suit shall be brought in the county where the land or any portion of the land is
situate.
(2)
Provided that where such lands are located in more than one county and
are contiguous, that suit may be brought as to all of the lands in any county in which a
portion of the lands is situate, with the same force and effect as though the suit had
been prosecuted in each county in which any of the lands are situate. In all such cases
in which suit is prosecuted in one county as to contiguous lands in more than one
county, notice of lis pendens shall be filed pursuant to Sections 38-1-14 and 38-1-15
NMSA 1978 in each county. For purposes of service of process pursuant to Rule 4
[Rule 1-004 NMRA] of the Rules of Civil Procedure for the District Courts, any such suit
involving contiguous lands located in more than one county shall be deemed pending in
each county in which any portion of the land is located from the date of filing of the lis
pendens notice.
E. Suits for trespass on land shall be brought as provided in Subsection A of this
section or in the county where the land or any portion of the land is situate.
F. Suits may be brought against transient persons or non-residents in any county of
this state, except that suits against foreign corporations admitted to do business and
which designate and maintain a statutory agent in this state upon whom service of
process may be had shall only be brought in the county where the plaintiff, or any one of
them in case there is more than one, resides or in the county where the contract sued
on was made or is to be performed or where the cause of action originated or
indebtedness sued on was incurred or in the county where the statutory agent
designated by the foreign corporation resides.
G. Suits against any state officers as such shall be brought in the court of the county
in which their offices are located, at the capital or in the county where a plaintiff, or any
one of them in case there is more than one, resides, except that suits against the
officers or employees of a state educational institution as defined in Article 12, Section
11 of the constitution of New Mexico, as such, shall be brought in the district court of the
county in which the principal office of the state educational institution is located or the
district court of the county where the plaintiff resides.