Not every criminal charge fits neatly into a headline category. People get charged with trespassing, shoplifting, disorderly conduct, probation violations, forgery, fraud, weapons offenses, and dozens of other crimes that don't have their own dedicated practice area pages. These cases still carry real consequences. A misdemeanor conviction appears on background checks. A felony conviction can follow you for decades.
New Mexico classifies crimes as petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and felonies of the fourth through first degree. The classification matters because it determines where the case is heard, what the maximum penalties are, and what rights and options you have as a defendant. Under NMSA § 31-18-15, which sets out the sentences for various felony degrees, the range runs from eighteen months for a fourth-degree felony up to life imprisonment for a capital felony.
Patrick J. Martinez handles misdemeanor and felony cases across the full range of New Mexico criminal law, including Albuquerque courts, magistrate courts, and throughout Bernalillo County.
How New Mexico Classifies Criminal Offenses
Petty misdemeanors and misdemeanors are heard in magistrate or metropolitan court. Maximum sentences run from six months for a petty misdemeanor to 364 days for a misdemeanor. These are often people's first contact with the criminal justice system, and how they're handled matters for what happens to your record.
Felonies are heard in district court. Fourth-degree felonies carry up to eighteen months. Third-degree felonies carry up to three years. Second-degree felonies carry up to nine years. First-degree felonies carry up to eighteen years. The degree assigned to a felony depends on the statute under which you're charged. NMSA § 31-18-15 provides the sentencing ranges.
What Patrick Handles
Misdemeanor assault and battery. Petty larceny and shoplifting. Traffic offenses that result in criminal charges. Trespassing. Disorderly conduct. Probation violations. Criminal damage to property. Harassment. Passing bad checks.
On the felony side: forgery, fraud, weapons charges, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, residential burglary, commercial burglary, and more. If you've been charged in Albuquerque or anywhere in Bernalillo County, Patrick can review the charges and tell you plainly what you're dealing with.