Handbooks
New Mexico Child Welfare Handbook: A Legal Manual on Child Abuse and Neglect
Current Revision: June 2018
The New Mexico Child Welfare Handbook is a project of the Corinne Wolfe Center for Child and Family Justice and the New Mexico Judicial Education Center at the Institute of Public Law, UNM School of Law. Originally developed in 2000 under a grant from the State Justice Institute, the Handbook is intended to provide the New Mexico judiciary and other members of the child welfare community with a comprehensive resource guide to the state’s child abuse and neglect process.
The Handbook incorporates the applicable requirements of the New Mexico Children’s Code, the Children’s Court rules, court cases and federal laws. It summarizes the child abuse and neglect process, describes the roles and responsibilities of a number of the participants, explains the hearings that may take place in a case, addresses such topics as discovery, and evidence, and highlights the Indian Child Welfare Act. Proceedings under the children's mental health laws, the Delinquency Act, and other statutes are also summarized, and education laws are discussed.
The Handbook is intended to serve as a current, convenient secondary source of law, policy and practice for child abuse and neglect cases. Do not rely on the Handbook for legal authority; instead, consult primary sources for actual legal language and requirements.
Updated in 2018, the Handbook is downloadable and in a searchable pdf. Questions about this publication should be directed to the Corinne Wolfe Center for Child and Family Justice at 505-277-9170.
Updates to the Child Welfare Handbook
In January funding and staff permitting, we will be issuing periodic updates to the 2018 Child Welfare Handbook and posting them here.
New Mexico Juvenile Justice Handbook
The New Mexico Juvenile Justice Handbook was a project of the Corinne Wolfe Center for Child and Family Justice and the New Mexico Judicial Education Center at the Institute of Public Law, UNM School of Law, in collaboration with the New Mexico Children's Court Judges Association. Developed with the support of the state Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee, the Handbook was intended to provide the New Mexico judiciary and other members of the juvenile justice community with a comprehensive guide to delinquency proceedings.
The Handbook incorporates applicable requirements of the New Mexico Children's Code, Children's Court and other Supreme Court rules, and case law affecting juvenile cases. It summarizes the steps in the legal process, describes the roles and responsibilities of a number of the participants, explains the hearings that may take place, and addresses such topics as competency, defenses, discovery, evidence, and sentencing.
The Handbook continues to provide a general overview but it is no longer current. There have been major changes in law and procedure since the Juvenile Justice Handbook was published in 2011, but funds to update the Handbook have not been available. Do not in any way rely on the Handbook for legal authority.
The 2011 Handbook is downloadable and in a searchable pdf. Questions about this publication should be directed to the Corinne Wolfe Center for Child and Family Justice at 505-277-9170.
