In November, 1998, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico moved to a new location.   Located at 333 Lomas Blvd. N.W., the new courthouse is a landmark for the downtown area.  Occupying approximately two and one-half square blocks, the courthouse incorporates Southwest traditions, including naming each courtroom after a river in New Mexico.

Divided into four quadrants, the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest, the building is seven stories tall.  The rotunda opens to view all seven stories rising to a dome at the top.  There is a stairway inside the rotunda which accesses the first through fifth floors. The United States Probation Department, United States Pretrial Services and the United States Marshal Service are located on the first floor; the Clerk's Office, jury assembly and cafeteria with outdoor patio are on the second floor; the Tenth Circuit Library, grand jury and two courtrooms are on the third floor; there are four courtrooms each on the fourth and fifth floors; and the judges' chambers, nine district and six magistrate, are on the sixth and seventh floors.

All of the judges' courtrooms are the same size with the exception of the ceremonial courtroom which has one additional row of benches. Each has a 14-person jury box with every other juror sharing a TV screen for viewing of trial exhibits. The courtrooms are designed to accommodate future needs, and ample conduit is in place for future electronics. There should be sufficient funds to electronically outfit three courtrooms now, and the others will be completed as more funding becomes available.

As you enter the courthouse, there is a kiosk which will provide court schedules and courtroom locations. As mentioned above, courtrooms have been named after the rivers of New Mexico. In the Northeast quadrant are the Cimarron and Vermejo; in the Southeast quadrant, the Bonita, Hondo and Pecos; in the Northwest quadrant, the Brazos and Chama; and in the Southwest quadrant, the Gila, Mimbres and Rio Grande.

The U.S. Courthouse in Albuquerque has won numerous awards, including:

First Place Eagle Award, Associated Builders' and Contractors Competition, National Excellence in Construction for commercial $25 to $99 million category.

Award of Merit, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties Award

Best Building, New Mexico Main Streets 1998 Community Awards