N.M. Stat. § 73-1-11
[District declared organized; boundaries; status; principal
place of business; jurisdiction of court; costs where petition
denied.]
Upon the hearing of the petition, as provided for herein, if it shall appear that a
petition, or petitions, for the organization of such district has been signed and presented
as hereinbefore provided, and that the allegations of the petition, or petitions, are true
and that no protesting petition, or petitions, have been filed, or, if filed have been
dismissed, the court shall, by order, adjudicate all questions of jurisdiction, declare the
district organized and give it a corporate name, by which, in all proceedings, it shall
thereafter be known, but said decree shall not be final as to the boundaries of said
district, or as to the lands to be embraced therein, until the approval of the report of the
commissioners, as hereinafter provided, at which time, a final decree as to the property
to be embraced in the district shall be entered, and no appeal therefrom as to any
particular tracts or parcels of property shall, in any way, prevent the district from
functioning, nor prevent the levy of any taxes against such property in question pending
the appeal therefrom.
Upon declaring the district organized, the same shall be a political subdivision of the
state of New Mexico, and a body corporate with all the powers of a public or municipal
corporation; shall have power to sue and be sued, to incur debts, liabilities and
obligations, to exercise the right of eminent domain and of taxation and assessment as
herein provided and to do and perform all acts herein expressly authorized, and all other
acts necessary and proper for carrying out to all intents and purposes the objects for
which the district was created, and for exercising the powers with which it is invested.
In such decree, the court shall designate the place where the office, or principal
place of business, shall be located, which shall be within the corporate limits of the
district, if practical, and which may be changed by order of the court from time to time.
The regular meetings of the board of directors shall be held at such office or place of
business, but for cause may be adjourned to any other convenient place. The official
records and files of the district shall be kept at the office so established. The district
court entering the decree shall retain jurisdiction of the conservancy district so
organized, and all court proceedings pertaining to the district, as herein provided, shall
be filed in the original cause. Any district judge in whose court said original proceeding
is had shall not be disqualified on account of owning property within the boundaries of
the district.
If the court finds against the prayer of the petition, it shall dismiss said proceedings
and adjudge the costs against the signers of the petition in such proportions as it shall
deem just and equitable.