As used in the Criminal Record Expungement Act:

Terms Used In New Mexico Statutes 29-3A-2

  • Acquittal:
    1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
    2. A verdict of "not guilty."
     
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.

A. “arrest records” means records of identification of a person under arrest or under investigation for a crime taken or gathered by an official; “arrest records” includes information gathered from the national crime information center or another criminal record database, photographs, fingerprints and booking sheets; except “arrest records” does not include:

(1)     driving while intoxicated citations maintained by the taxation and revenue department;

(2)     computer-aided dispatch information; or

(3)     log books relating to breath alcohol testing equipment;

B. “expungement” means the removal from access to the general public of a notation of an arrest, complaint, indictment, information, plea of guilty, conviction, acquittal, dismissal or discharge record, including a record posted on a publicly accessible court, corrections or law enforcement internet website; and

C. “public records” means documentation relating to a person’s arrest, indictment, proceeding, finding or plea of guilty, conviction, acquittal, dismissal or discharge, including information posted on a court or law enforcement website; but “public records” does not include:

(1)     arrest record information that:

(a) reveals confidential sources, methods, information or individuals accused but not charged with a crime and that is maintained by the state or any of its political subdivisions pertaining to any person charged with the commission of any crime; or

(b) is confidential and unlawful to disseminate or reveal, except as provided in the Arrest Record Information Act [N.M. Stat. Ann. Chapter 29, Article 10] or other law;

(2)     the file of a district attorney or attorney general maintained as a confidential record for law enforcement purposes and not open for inspection by members of the public;

(3)     a record maintained by the children, youth and families department, the human services department [health care authority department] or the public education department when that record is confidential under state or federal law and is required to be maintained by state or federal law for audit or other purposes; or

(4)     a record received pursuant to a background check as authorized by law.

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