44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS; CONFERRING JURISDICTION UPON PROBATE COURTS TO CONDUCT DISPUTE RESOLUTION HEARINGS IN DOMESTIC RELATIONS CASES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. PROBATE COURTS--ADDITIONAL JURISDICTION IN DOMESTIC RELATIONS CASES--TRAINING.--

A. If approved by the administrative office of the courts pursuant to Subsection B of this section, a probate court shall have concurrent jurisdiction to conduct dispute resolution hearings in domestic relations cases.

B. The director of the administrative office of the courts may approve a probate court to exercise the jurisdiction conferred in Subsection A of this section if the judicial district for the county in which the probate court is located has certified that the probate judge is qualified, by training or experience, to conduct the dispute resolution hearings.

C. Funds available to the judicial district for domestic relations mediation or dispute resolution purposes may be used by the judicial district to train probate judges and pay probate court costs pursuant to this section.

D. The supreme court shall enact rules necessary for the implementation of this section.