N.M. Stat. § 4-13-1 (2026)

That the county of Lea is hereby created out of that portion of the state of New
Mexico lying and being situate within the following metes and bounds, as indicated by
the United States survey, viz.: at the southeast corner of the state of New Mexico,
thence north on the line between the state of New Mexico and the state of Texas, in [to]
the northeast corner of township nine (9) south of range thirty-eight (38) east; thence
west on the line between townships eight (8) and nine (9) south to the northwest corner
of township nine (9) south of range thirty-two (32) east; thence south between ranges
thirty-one (31) and thirty-two (32) east of [to] the correction line between townships ten
(10) and eleven (11) south; thence west on said correction line to the northwest corner
of township eleven (11) south of range thirty-two (32) east; thence south, between
ranges thirty-one [31] and thirty-two (32) east, to the correction line between townships
fifteen (15) and sixteen (16) south; thence west, on said correction line to the northwest
corner of township sixteen (16) south of range thirty-two [32] east; thence south,
between ranges thirty-one (31) and thirty-two (32) east to the correction line between
townships twenty (20) and twenty-one (21) south; thence east on said correction line to
the northwest corner of township twenty-one (21) south of range thirty-two (32) east;
thence south between ranges thirty-one [31] and thirty-two (32) east to the south
boundary of the state of New Mexico; thence east, on said south boundary to the point
of beginning.

History: Laws 1917, ch. 23, § 1; C.S. 1929, § 33-1201; 1941 Comp., § 15-1201; 1953
Comp., § 15-13-1.

                                     ANNOTATIONS
Bracketed material. — The bracketed material was inserted by the compiler and is not
part of the law.

Compiler's notes. — Lea county was created from the eastern portions of Chaves and
Eddy counties.

Cross references. — For boundaries of Chaves county, see 4-3-1 to 4-3-3 NMSA
1978.

For boundaries of Eddy county, see 4-8-1 to 4-8-3 NMSA 1978.

Title to lands falling in newly created county. — Where an existing county out of
which a new county was carved held tax sale certificates constituting complete legal title
to lands falling in new county, title did not pass to the new county. Anderson v. Clardy,
1931-NMSC-028, 35 N.M. 440, 1 P.2d 120.