**Municipal Court Closed on October 27, 2020 due to inclement weather**

Court Schedule Due to COVID-19

Pursuant to Supreme Court Order No. 20-8500-025 issued July 6, 2020, the Rio Rancho Municipal Court will take the following measures:

• All in person hearings have been suspended effective immediately. The only exception is if the Judge finds “compelling reason” and only after a motion is filed. The Court will issue a written finding and conclusion justifying the in person hearing.
• In the event that the Judge finds “compelling reason” to have an in person hearing the Court will:
o Thoroughly sanitize the Courtroom before and after each use
o Limit attendance in the Courtroom to parties of a case only The press and members of the public will be allowed in only if the 6 feet distance can be enforced and never encroached.
o All parties must wear a mask at all times

Entering and while in the building
• All persons interested in entering the building will continue to be asked screening questions and their temperatures will be checked. This includes members of the public and all City/Court employees.
• Masks must be work by all parties at all times.
• Lobby stickers enforcing 6 foot minimum distance are still adhered to the floor and walls of the lobby
• The lobby capacity is limited to no more then 9 individuals at any one time to ensure 6 foot distance is kept at all times
• One way in and one way out path has been established to ensure the 6 foot distance is always maintained and never encroached

Hearings
• Google meet video conferencing for all hearings is preferred and will be utilized as the first option. Defendant’s with active bench warrants will be heard only by google meet.
• For parties that cannot access google meet, and do not have an active bench warrant, telephonic hearings will be accommodated

Court staff will continue to be provided with face masks, hand sanitizer, hand soap, Clorox wipes and rubber gloves for one time use. Hand sanitizer is also available to the public at all window stations and in the Courtroom, should the need to utilize the Courtroom arise and only under the “compelling reason” procedure.

The Court will not be providing face-masks to the public. Entry to the building without a face mask is prohibited.

All scheduled hearings will continue to be held by either video or telephone on the scheduled Court date. If you need to schedule a hearing time, contact the court clerks office at 505-891-5999 Monday through Thursday 7:30am – 5:00pm.

Updated July 14, 2020