N.M. Stat. § 38-5-11
Qualifying jury panels.
A. The court shall empanel jurors in a random manner. The judge or the judge's
designee shall preside over the empaneling of a petit jury panel. The district judge or
the judge's designee shall preside over the empaneling of the grand jury panel. Jurors
who appear for service shall be questioned under oath as to their eligibility for jury
service by the judge or the judge's designee. Claims of exemption, requests for excuse
from service or postponement of service shall be ruled upon by the judge or the judge's
designee.
B. The judge or the judge's designee shall submit questionnaires to prospective
jurors to:
(1)
obtain any information that will aid the court in ruling on requests for
exemption or excuse from service or postponement of service;
(2)
aid the court and the parties in voir dire examination of jurors or in
determining a juror's qualifications to serve on a particular petit jury panel, trial jury or
grand jury; or
(3)
aid in the determination of challenges for cause and peremptory
challenges.
C. The judge or the judge's designee shall certify a numbered list of the jury panel
members' names when qualified. The certified list of jurors and the questionnaires
obtained from jurors shall be made available for inspection and copying by a party to a
pending proceeding or their attorney or to any person having good cause for access to
the list and the questionnaires.