§ RULE 2-203. SERVICE AND FILING OF PLEADINGS AND OTHER PAPERS
RULE 2-203. SERVICE AND FILING OF PLEADINGS AND OTHER PAPERS
A. Service; When Required. Except as otherwise provided in these rules, every order required by its terms to be served, every pleading subsequent to the original complaint, every order not entered in open court, every paper relating to discovery required to be served upon a party, unless the court otherwise orders, every written motion other than one which may be heard ex parte, and every written notice, appearance, demand, offer of judgment, designation of record on appeal, and similar paper shall be served upon each of the parties. Service on a party is not required if:
(1) the party is in default for failure to appear except that pleadings asserting new or additional claims for relief against them shall be served upon them in the manner provided for service of summons in Rule 2-202 NMRA; or
(2) the party unconditionally admits to all of the allegations of the complaint prior to entry of a judgment on the pleadings.
B. Service; How Made. Whenever under these rules service is required or permitted to be made upon a party represented by an attorney, the service shall be made upon the attorney unless service upon the party is ordered by the court. Service upon the attorney or upon a party shall be made by delivering a copy to the attorney or party, or by mailing a copy to the attorney or party at the attorney's or party's last known address, or, if no address is known, by leaving it with the clerk of the court. Service by mail is complete upon mailing.
C. Definitions. As used in this rule:
(1) “delivery of a copy” means:
(a) handing it to the attorney or to the party;
(b) sending a copy by facsimile or electronic transmission when permitted by Rule 2-204 NMRA or Rule 2-205 NMRA;
(c) leaving it at the attorney's or party's office with a clerk or other person in charge thereof, or, if there is no one in charge, leaving it in a conspicuous place therein; or
(d) if the party cannot be served at the office of the party's attorney or at the office of the party because the party's office is closed or the party to be served has no office, the party may be served by leaving it at the party's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein; and
(2) “mailing a copy” means sending a copy by first class mail with proper postage.
D. Filing; Certificate of Service. All papers after the complaint required to be served upon a party, together with a certificate of service indicating the date and method of service, shall be filed with the court within a reasonable time after service, except that the following papers shall not be filed unless on order of the court or for use in the proceeding:
(1) summonses without completed returns;
(2) subpoenas without completed returns;
(3) offers of settlement when made.
Except for the papers described in Subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, the attorney or party, if the party is unrepresented, shall file a certificate of service with the court within a reasonable time after service, indicating the date and method of service of any paper not filed with the court.
E. Filing with the Court Defined. The filing of pleadings and other papers with the court as required by these rules shall be made by filing them with the clerk of the court, except that the judge may permit the papers to be filed with the judge, in which event the judge shall note on the form the filing date and forthwith transmit them to the office of the clerk. “Filing” shall include filing a facsimile copy or filing an electronic copy as may be permitted pursuant to Rule 2-204 NMRA or Rule 2-205 NMRA. A paper filed by electronic means in compliance with Rule 2-205 NMRA constitutes a written paper for the purpose of applying these rules. The clerk shall not refuse to accept for filing any paper presented for that purpose solely because it is not presented in proper form as required by these rules.