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PRFG · SERIES 01
v1.0-rc1 · REVIEW COPY
PUBLIC-INTEREST FIELD GUIDE
PUBLIC RIGHTS
FIELD GUIDE
Authorities & Reporting Routes
Read the source · Understand the limits · Find the right office
Prepared and maintained by Brandon N.Gallegos
Independent public-interest legal-information project
CORE PRINCIPLE
Red flags are questions, not proof. Read the source, its version and its limits. Choose a route by
what it can do—not by an assumed outcome.
Contents
Find a route
While you wait
Choose a button · Underlined labels and page arrows are also links
GENERAL U.S. FRAMEWORKS · NEW MEXICO REPORTING GATEWAYS
September 19, 2026 · Review candidate, not an approved public release


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
CONTENTS
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Find what you need
Underlined text and outlined navigation rows are clickable. Page numbers and stable card IDs also
work in print.
Start with the problem
Choose the task and the outcome—not an accusation.
p. 3
Find a health profession
Physicians, nurses, therapists, dental and rehabilitation practice.
p. 4
Find an institution or other role
Police, judges, work, education, records and consumer routes.
p. 5
What can an office actually do?
Separate licensing, service, enforcement, claims and records.
p. 6
Care and billing: a useful order of checks
Conditional steps, with urgent and parallel tracks.
p. 7
Police and public bodies: separate tracks
Discipline, crime, rights, access and preservation.
p. 8
Find the right records process
FERPA, treatment records, HIPAA, IPRA, FOIA and corrections.
p. 48
While you wait
Receipt, status, new events, safety and independent clocks.
p. 10
Published timing: what the numbers mean
Investigation, company response, conditional contact and filing.
p. 11
No response, referral or closure
Questions and options; no guaranteed appeal or result.
p. 15
Read the law and its limits
Shared authority cards, source versions and the New Mexico code gate.
p. 37
Worksheets and a bounded follow-up
Private organization and a check-before-sending message.
p. 58
Versions, source checks and version 1
Maintenance, corrections, scope and release limits.
p. 57
READ THIS AS A REVIEW COPY
Review copy, not a personal legal assessment. New source checks are scoped; inherited law
cards keep their version limits. No public update site has been provided.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
TASK FINDER
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Start with the problem
One event can justify several questions. The directory is a menu of possible fits—not instructions to
report to every listed office.
A clinician’s licensed practice
Verify the credential before choosing a board.
p. 16
Hospital or facility practice
Institutional oversight and grievance routes.
p. 21
Health records, privacy or discrimination
Separate the entity request from an outside complaint.
p. 22
Discharge, ending services or a surprise bill
Time-sensitive appeals are not ordinary complaints.
p. 33
Help resolving a care concern
Long-term-care and VA New Mexico advocacy routes.
p. 34
Child or vulnerable-adult safety
Protective reporting and urgent-help distinctions.
p. 35
Police conduct or certification
Department-specific oversight versus certification.
p. 24
Workplace problem
Employment rights, wages and labor routes.
p. 27
Education complaint
OCR and HED have different subjects and conditions.
p. 29
Public or federal records
New Mexico IPRA, federal FOIA and dispute assistance.
p. 30
Fraud, identity or consumer concern
General intake versus a financial, insurance or billing route.
p. 31
DO NOT WAIT FOR THE PERFECT PACKET
An urgent safety issue, actual notice, short filing period or possible loss of evidence needs its
own prompt attention. The numbered sequences are organizational aids, not a universal
internal-first rule.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
PROFESSION FINDER
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Find by health profession
Search by the real credential, not only a title such as “therapist.” The entries distinguish
individuals, facilities and products.
Physician / psychiatrist / physician assistant
Medical Board; check the precise license and jurisdiction.
p. 16
Nurse / nurse practitioner / APRN
Nursing-board gateway.
p. 16
Psychologist
Psychologist Examiners Board.
p. 17
Counselor / counseling or therapy practice
Verify the specific professional license.
p. 17
Social worker
Social-work board directory lead; process not fully checked.
p. 18
Dental professional
Dental Health Care Board gateway.
p. 18
Physical therapist
Physical Therapy Board gateway.
p. 19
Occupational therapist / assistant
Occupational Therapy Board gateway.
p. 19
Pharmacy / pharmacist
Pharmacy complaint gateway.
p. 20
Another licensed health profession
RLD directory; verify the individual board.
p. 18
Drug, device or other medical product
FDA safety reporting is not a clinician-discipline process.
p. 20
Facility, hospital or program
Identify institutional oversight separately.
p. 21
The labels above are search aids, not determinations of scope of practice. State, federal, tribal,
compact and interstate situations can require different analysis.


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ROLE FINDER
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Find by institution or role
Use the reader’s role and the actor’s actual institution together. Stable route numbers are catalogue
IDs, not effectiveness scores.
APD or officer certification
CPOA and NM certification entries have different scope.
p. 24
Other police / sheriff / NM state judge
Verify the local police route; distinguish judicial discipline from appeal.
p. 25
Possible federal crime or civil-rights issue
FBI and DOJ gateways are not private representation.
p. 26
Employee, wage earner or union participant
EEOC, WHD and NLRB branches.
p. 27
Safety complainant or federal employee
NM OSHA and OSC distinctions.
p. 28
Student or educational institution
OCR versus NM HED complaint handling.
p. 29
Requester of government records
State/local and federal records routes.
p. 30
Insurance or consumer finance customer
OSI and CFPB handle different questions.
p. 32
Medicare beneficiary / surprise-billing complainant
Appeal, quality and billing tracks.
p. 33
Long-term-care resident or VA patient
Care advocacy rather than a general enforcement promise.
p. 34
Child or vulnerable adult
Protective-services gateways.
p. 35
A setting not covered here
Known research gaps; not “no protection.”
p. 36


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
BEFORE REPORTING
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Choose the outcome and route
An office can be relevant without having power to provide the particular result you seek.
LICENSING / CERTIFICATION
Investigate a regulated professional or officer’s conduct; distinguish discipline from
compensation. See the Medical Board’s stated limits and certification routing.
FACILITY / PROGRAM COMPLIANCE
Identify the institution, service and applicable oversight; an individual board complaint is not the
same task. See DHI.
CIVIL RIGHTS / EMPLOYMENT
Identify the actual protection, covered actor and activity. ADA retaliation/interference is not a
substitute for every employment or education framework.
CRIMINAL REPORT / PRIVATE CLAIM
DOJ or FBI intake and a private civil filing are different processes. A report does not appoint an
agency as your lawyer. See federal report routes and the civil vehicle example.
ACCESS / PRESERVATION / APPEAL
Identify each separate task, recipient and clock. Confirm whether any prerequisite or election
applies instead of imposing an internal-first rule on everyone.
EIGHT QUESTIONS FOR EVERY RECIPIENT
What does it handle? What can it not decide? Who may file? Which method and form count?
What are the independent clocks? Who may see the submission? What acknowledgment is
issued? What review, referral or appeal remains?
Keep the factual account materially consistent, but tailor the requested action and attachments.
Record uncertainties and contrary information. The route worksheet helps compare options; it is
not a filing or legal deadline calculation.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
PURPOSE-BASED SEQUENCES
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Care, professional conduct or a medical bill
An editorial sequence of questions, not a legal prerequisite or ranking of agencies.
1
Identify any immediate care or appeal issue
Urgent care, discharge notices or ending coverage need their own prompt attention. Do
not wait for a licensing investigation.
Medicare quality or ending services
2
Identify the actual actor and result sought
Clinician discipline, facility practice, access to records, insurance coverage and a surprise
bill are different tasks.
Physicians and physician assistants · Facilities and specified care programs · Health-information privacy or access
· Insurance and managed-care review · Surprise medical-billing concerns
3
Use relevant tracks in parallel when appropriate
A patient advocate may help a care problem while a separate, properly supported
regulatory or rights issue is considered. Check each route’s requirements.
Long-term-care resident advocacy · VA New Mexico care concerns · Discrimination in health or human services
4
Track the correct stage
Use the timing entry for the actor and event involved, not as a countdown to
compensation.
What does a response time mean?
PARALLEL / CONDITIONAL TRACKS
Preservation, urgent care, legal advice and independent notice/appeal checks may need
attention before any numbered step is complete.
WEB · Medicare — fast appeals
WEB · New Mexico Medical Board — complaints
WEB · NM Office of Superintendent of Insurance — consumer assistance
WEB · CMS — submit a No Surprises complaint
WEB · NM Aging — Long-Term Care Ombudsman
WEB · VA New Mexico health care — patient advocates


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Police, public bodies or public records
Sequence by task and jurisdiction, not by the perceived seriousness of an office.
1
Separate current safety from later review
An immediate safety problem is not an ordinary oversight status inquiry. Identify the
agency and jurisdiction without confrontation.
Police oversight and certification · Other police and judicial conduct
2
Separate discipline, crime and a civil claim
Employer oversight, officer certification, federal reporting and a private legal assessment
do different jobs.
Complaints about APD personnel · Officer certification concerns · Possible federal civil-rights violation · Possible
federal crime / witness harm · 42 U.S.C. § 1983
3
Use the correct records process separately
Federal agency records and New Mexico public records use different gateways. A request
for access is not proof that a preservation hold exists.
New Mexico public-records concerns · Federal records and FOIA disputes
4
Read an actual response or closure carefully
Identify what was decided, what was not, whether referral occurred and which review
instructions apply.
No response, referral or closure · Route-verification worksheet
PARALLEL / CONDITIONAL TRACKS
Do not wait for an internal complaint to finish merely because the steps are numbered.
Verify any actual prerequisite or election rule for the specific route.
WEB · FOIA.gov — frequently asked questions
WEB · National Archives OGIS — mediation program


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Workplace or education concerns
Conditional branches; an agency’s speed is not a substitute for legal coverage.
1
Keep overlapping statuses
Student, employee, applicant, contractor, witness and federal employee are distinct roles
that can overlap. Identify the actual institution.
Find by institution or role
2
Match the subject and legal framework
Civil-rights, safety, wages, labor practices and federal personnel each have different
routes; a general grievance does not establish every protection.
Employment discrimination / retaliation · NM workplace safety / safety retaliation · Wages, hours and covered
leave · Employer or union labor practices · Covered federal personnel / disclosures · Education civil-rights
concerns
3
Check an actual prerequisite—not a universal one
NM HED’s student complaint route requires the institution’s complaint process and
excludes grade/conduct appeals. Do not transfer that rule to EEOC, OCR or every other
route.
Higher-education complaints
4
Preserve later events and the notice trail
Keep new events separate from the original filing. Check whether an amendment, new
filing or time-sensitive review is needed.
Employment discrimination / retaliation · While you wait · No response, referral or closure
PARALLEL / CONDITIONAL TRACKS
Do not wait for a complete narrative before checking an urgent deadline, retaliation
concern, requested release or legal-representation question.
WEB · NM Higher Education Department — student complaints
WEB · EEOC — after you file a charge


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While you wait
Waiting for one office does not mean every other task should stop. These are process questions and
organization choices, not directions for a particular case.
FIRST: ESTABLISH WHAT HAPPENED
Keep the exact submission, attachments, receipt, reference number and any error or bounce.
“Sent,” “received,” “accepted,” “assigned” and “investigated” describe different events.
FOLLOW THE DESIGNATED STATUS PROCESS
Use the portal, case contact or published update method. Ask which stage applies and whether
information is missing. Some offices restrict updates; the Judicial Standards Commission is one
example.
USE A REAL CHECKPOINT
Record an actual notice date, an agency-provided estimate or its published instructions. No
universal seven-day or monthly follow-up rule is created here. See the timing records.
KEEP CHANGED FACTS DISTINCT
Preserve originals and dated corrections. Check whether a new event belongs in an amendment,
new submission or a separate route. EEOC’s charge-process guidance specifically addresses later
events.
KEEP INDEPENDENT OPTIONS VISIBLE
Urgent care or safety, preservation, access requests, counsel/advocate support, and filing or
appeal checks may remain separate. A pending inquiry is not proof that someone is protecting
your deadline.
A REPLY IS NOT A RESULT
An acknowledgment may confirm only intake. A referral may require a new accepted
submission. An investigation may end without action. Check what the actual record and the
office’s authority establish.
Use the bounded follow-up only where permitted. For closure, jurisdiction problems or an
unanswered submission, continue to No response, referral or closure.
WEB · EEOC — after you file a charge
WEB · NM Judicial Standards Commission — about and jurisdiction
WEB · National Archives OGIS — mediation program


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TIMING GUIDE
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What does a response time mean?
Timing is useful only when the actor, stage, trigger and limits stay attached. Faster does not
necessarily mean more appropriate.
LEGAL ACTION PERIOD
A rule can require action on a defined request. HIPAA access concerns a covered entity’s request
handling—not OCR’s investigation.
AGENCY ESTIMATE OR PUBLISHED AVERAGE
Medical Board, EEOC and NLRB numbers describe different investigation stages. These pages do
not identify a common measurement cohort.
INITIAL OR THIRD-PARTY REPLY
CFPB describes company replies; HED describes initial handling and a separate institution
response. Neither is a universal resolution clock.
CONDITIONAL CONTACT
CMS describes contact if additional information is needed, not a final answer by that date.
YOUR FILING OR APPEAL CLOCK
HIPAA complaint filing is not a waiting estimate. Notices and claim-specific prerequisites require
separate attention.
Investigation expectations
Three published intervals, each tied to its stage.
p. 12
Replies and conditional contact
CFPB, HED and CMS.
p. 13
A response rule versus a filing clock
HIPAA access and an OCR complaint are different processes.
p. 14
A 2026 CHECK IS NOT 2026 PERFORMANCE DATA
Read on September 19, 2026 is a retrieval date. Unless a cohort is stated, do not label a
website’s number a measured 2026 average. Review requests, legal changes, reorganizations
and backlogs can change the picture.


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TIMING · AGENCY ESTIMATES
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Investigation expectations
Published descriptions read September 19, 2026. None is a promised finish date or a measure of
agency quality.
T01 · Medical Board investigation
3 months to 1 year
Actor / stage. NM Medical Board — Investigation; not compensation or final court relief.
Limits. Volume and complexity affect the range. No measurement cohort is supplied; this is not a
verified FY2026 statistic or a promised completion date.
Next step. Check the current complaint instructions and any acknowledgment before deciding
how to seek an update.
Route R01 · Read 2026-09-19 · Not a case-specific promise.
WEB · New Mexico Medical Board — complaints
T02 · EEOC investigation
About 10 months
Actor / stage. EEOC — Investigation of a charge; not every later hearing, suit or remedy.
Limits. The page gives an average without identifying the underlying cohort. Federal-sector
complaints follow a different process. Some cases take longer.
Next step. Use the portal. Check instructions promptly for new events, closure notices or a
right-to-sue request.
Route R19 · Read 2026-09-19 · Not a case-specific promise.
WEB · EEOC — after you file a charge
T03 · NLRB merits decision
Typically 7–14 weeks
Actor / stage. NLRB regional office — Initial decision whether a charge has merit.
Limits. Some cases take much longer. This is not a final hearing, Board/court resolution or
remedy interval; no specific cohort is stated.
Next step. Use the regional office’s process; promptly examine review instructions on a
dismissal.
Route R26 · Read 2026-09-19 · Not a case-specific promise.
WEB · NLRB — investigate charges


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TIMING · RESPONSE STAGES
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Replies and conditional contact
These entries measure different actors and events. Do not compare them as if they were three
agencies’ resolution speeds.
T04 · CFPB company replies
Generally 15 days; some final replies within 60 days
Actor / stage. Company receiving a CFPB complaint — Initial company response; a response in
progress may lead to a later final response.
Limits. These are company-response expectations, not CFPB investigation, enforcement or
compensation deadlines. A reply may dispute the complaint.
Next step. Track the existing complaint and use the portal’s review/feedback instructions.
Route R33 · Read 2026-09-19 · Not a case-specific promise.
WEB · CFPB — consumer complaint process
T05 · NM HED: two distinct stages
1–2 business days initially; 10 business days for an institution’s reply
Actor / stage. NM HED, then the institution — Initial review/reply; separately, the institution’s
response to a forwarded complaint.
Trigger. HED receives a submission; the second stage starts when the institution receives the
forwarded complaint.
Limits. HED can allow the institution more time. Neither interval promises final resolution.
Coverage, internal-process and complaint-category limits still apply.
Next step. Confirm which stage applies and whether more information is needed; keep other
forums’ clocks separate.
Route R32 · Read 2026-09-19 · Not a case-specific promise.
WEB · NM Higher Education Department — student complaints
T06 · CMS request for more information
Contact within 60 days if more information is needed
Actor / stage. No Surprises Help Desk — Conditional request for additional information.
Limits. The page does not promise a final decision in 60 days. A case may be referred to another
authority.
Next step. Save the confirmation number and check the preferred contact channel; use the
existing complaint for updates.
Route R42 · Read 2026-09-19 · Not a case-specific promise.
WEB · CMS — submit a No Surprises complaint


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TIMING · DIFFERENT LEGAL TASKS
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A response rule is not a filing clock
The first entry concerns action by a covered entity. The second concerns a person’s complaint-filing
period.
T07 · HIPAA access request: action by the entity
30 days; one additional period of no more than 30 days if conditions are met
Actor / stage. Covered entity receiving the access request — Grant/provide access or issue a
denial under the rule—not OCR investigation.
Trigger. Receipt of the access request under 45 C.F.R. § 164.524(b)(2).
Limits. The extension requires written reasons and a completion date within the initial period;
only one extension is allowed. Coverage, exceptions and denial/review rules matter.
Next step. Keep the request, receipt and response; read the full regulation on the law card.
Route R10 · Read 2026-09-19 · Not a case-specific promise.
LAW · Full regulation and version information
T08 · HIPAA complaint filing—not waiting time
180 days; the Secretary may waive the period for good cause shown
Actor / stage. Person filing a complaint under the HIPAA administrative-simplification rule —
Complaint filing under 45 C.F.R. § 160.306—not OCR investigation.
Trigger. When the complainant knew or should have known the act or omission occurred, under
paragraph (b)(3).
Limits. Waiver is not automatic. Coverage, required content and filing instructions matter; no
personal deadline is calculated. The eCFR text is authoritative but unofficial; Title 45 displays
currency September 17, 2026.
Next step. Read the full rule and OCR instructions promptly. Do not assume an access request or
ongoing exchange extends this separate period.
Route R10 · Read 2026-09-19 · Not a case-specific promise.
WEB · 45 C.F.R. § 160.306 — full complaint rule
WEB · HHS OCR — HIPAA complaint process


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
WHEN A ROUTE STALLS
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No response, referral or closure
The next question depends on what actually happened. Delay alone does not establish wrongdoing;
closure alone does not resolve every legal issue.
NO RECEIPT / TECHNICAL FAILURE
Check the accepted method and the evidence of your attempt. Use an officially permitted
alternative promptly when necessary. A technical-support request is not automatically a
completed filing.
RECEIVED, BUT NO UPDATE
Review the acknowledgment and status policy. Where allowed, ask whether anything is missing
and what stage the matter has reached. Do not infer an investigation just because the portal
accepted a form.
OUTSIDE JURISDICTION / REFERRED
Ask for the specific reason and official recipient. Verify whether it was actually forwarded and
accepted, or whether you must make a new submission. Match the new route’s scope and
deadline.
CLOSED / DENIED / NO ACTION
Preserve the exact notice and delivery date. Identify what was decided and any reconsideration,
appeal, review or separate legal option. The guide does not promise that such an option exists.
THE PROBLEM CONTINUES
Document new facts independently. Consider relevant advocacy, urgent care/safety, access,
regulatory or legal-assistance questions without assuming every new fact belongs in every earlier
complaint.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT ALTERNATIVE
OGIS may assist with federal FOIA disputes; Medicare fast appeals address specified urgent
coverage situations. These are examples of distinct processes, not universal escalation steps.
Do not threaten, create repeated conflicting submissions, recruit witnesses to adopt a shared
account, or delete inconvenient records to make a follow-up look stronger. Keep a source-linked
log and seek qualified help for legal strategy or a time-sensitive notice.
WEB · National Archives OGIS — mediation program
WEB · Medicare — fast appeals
WEB · EEOC — after you file a charge


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REPORTING ROUTES
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Physicians and nurses
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R01 · Physicians and physician assistants
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The New Mexico Medical Board lists physicians (MDs and DOs), physician assistants
and several other regulated professions. Verify the actual credential.
Limits. Individual licensing discipline is different from facility oversight, compensation or a
malpractice suit. The Board says it cannot award damages.
Before using. Use the official complaint gateway and check its current required information and
release terms.
Timing. Medical Board investigation (p. 12)
While waiting. Use the published range as context, not a promised finish date. Next steps
WEB · New Mexico Medical Board — complaints
R02 · Nurses and advanced-practice nurses
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. New Mexico Board of Nursing: begin with license verification and its
practice-complaint entry point, including when the clinician is an advanced-practice nurse.
Limits. Do not route someone solely because a workplace calls them a nurse. Verify the
credential; facility complaints and nurse-aide matters may follow different channels.
Before using. Confirm the named license, board jurisdiction, complaint instructions, required
release and receipt. The linked portal was not submitted or delivery-tested.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · New Mexico Board of Nursing


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Mental-health practice
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R03 · Psychologists
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. RLD Psychologist Examiners: the official board landing page is the starting point for
a verified psychology license.
Limits. A psychologist, psychiatrist and counselor should not be routed interchangeably. A
facility concern may require a separate route.
Before using. Follow the board’s current discipline/complaint instructions from its official page.
Detailed intake, required forms and confidentiality terms remain to be checked.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · RLD — Psychologist Examiners
R04 · Counselors and therapy-practice licensees
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. RLD Counseling and Therapy Practice: use this gateway after identifying the actual
counseling or therapy-practice credential.
Limits. The word therapist alone does not establish a board. Social work, psychology, physical
therapy and occupational therapy may have different regulators.
Before using. Check the exact license category and the current board complaint process. This
pass verified the board gateway, not a complete filing procedure.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · RLD — Counseling and Therapy Practice


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Social work, dentistry and other licenses
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R05 · Social workers
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The official RLD directory lists Social Work Examiners. Use that directory to locate
the current board page for the relevant license.
Limits. The deep social-work page could not be retrieved during this pass; this is a directory
entry, not recertified intake instructions.
Before using. Confirm license type, jurisdiction, accepted form, required releases and receipt
directly through the current board.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · RLD — boards and commissions
R06 · Other licensed health professions
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The RLD directory includes dental, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational
therapy, respiratory care, chiropractic, optometry, massage and other boards.
Limits. Choose by verified license and challenged conduct. A profession’s board listing does not
prove that it can resolve every complaint about that person.
Before using. Check the correct board, active license, location of service, telehealth or compact
issues, and current discipline instructions. This directory is not an exhaustive jurisdiction
opinion.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · RLD — boards and commissions
R37 · Dental professional concerns
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The RLD Dental Health Care Board page provides the official professional-board
gateway.
Limits. Verify the specific dental credential and board coverage. A dental-office billing, insurance
or facility issue may need a separate route.
Before using. Follow the board’s current complaint navigation and check forms, release terms
and required facts.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · RLD — Dental Health Care Board


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Rehabilitation professions
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R38 · Physical therapy concerns
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The RLD Physical Therapy Board page identifies the profession-specific regulatory
gateway.
Limits. A clinic’s institutional conduct and an individual’s licensed practice are distinct
questions.
Before using. Verify the practitioner’s license and the board’s current complaint instructions; do
not infer the credential from a business name.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · RLD — Physical Therapy Board
R39 · Occupational therapy concerns
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The RLD Occupational Therapy Board page addresses occupational therapists and
occupational therapy assistants.
Limits. A professional-board route does not replace a benefit appeal, facility complaint or
employment process.
Before using. Verify credential and conduct; use the board’s current complaint link and review
its information-sharing terms.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · RLD — Occupational Therapy Board


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Pharmacy and product safety
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R07 · Pharmacists and pharmacy matters
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. RLD Board of Pharmacy has an official pharmacy complaint entry point.
Limits. A dispensing or professional-practice concern, an insurer’s coverage denial and possible
program fraud are different questions.
Before using. Identify the licensed person or pharmacy and conduct. Confirm the complaint
form, evidence/release requirements and applicable process; do not send a complete medical
record by default.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · RLD — Pharmacy complaint page
R41 · Medical-product safety
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. FDA MedWatch receives safety reports about covered medical products. Use the
product-specific instructions.
Limits. A product safety signal, clinician complaint and proof that a product caused an injury are
different things.
Before using. Identify the product, event and source records. Check whether a different
specialized reporting system applies to that product.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · FDA — MedWatch safety reporting


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Facility oversight and hospital grievances
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R08 · Facilities and specified care programs
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. NM Health Care Authority, Division of Health Improvement (DHI): facility
licensing/oversight and specified community-program concerns. Its page identifies facility,
program, abuse/neglect and nurse-aide routes.
Limits. A facility route is not identical to discipline of an individual clinician. Program and
setting determine which DHI channel fits.
Before using. Identify facility name/type, program, dates and immediate safety concerns. Choose
the relevant official reporting entry. This pass did not establish every facility-specific filing
condition.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 42 C.F.R. § 482.13(a)(2) · 42 U.S.C. § 1395dd(i)
WEB · NM Health Care Authority — Division of Health Improvement
R09 · The hospital’s grievance process
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. For a hospital covered by the patient-rights Condition of Participation, the grievance
rule addresses an internal process and specified written-resolution information.
Limits. Internal resolution is not a universal prerequisite to every outside report. Do not assume
a grievance preserves a separate legal deadline.
Before using. Locate the hospital’s published grievance contact and keep the request, receipt and
disposition. No individual hospital’s contact has been recertified in this atlas.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 42 C.F.R. § 482.13(a)(2)


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Health information and civil rights
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R10 · Health-information privacy or access
OFFICIAL PAGE READ · scoped check 2026-09-19
Possible fit. HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) provides a HIPAA complaint route. A request for
your information usually begins with the entity’s applicable access process.
Limits. Not every organization or record is covered by HIPAA. Do not confuse a privacy
complaint with malpractice review, records amendment or a guarantee of compensation.
Before using. Separate the holder’s access/amendment/accounting process from an HHS OCR
complaint. § 160.306’s 180-day knowledge trigger is a filing period, not OCR’s resolution estimate.
Check current form and consent instructions.
Timing. HIPAA access request: action by the entity (p. 14) · HIPAA complaint filing—not waiting time (p. 14)
While waiting. The entity’s access-response rule and an OCR complaint clock are different; neither is an OCR
investigation estimate. Next steps
Law: 45 C.F.R. § 164.524 · 45 C.F.R. § 164.526
WEB · HHS OCR — HIPAA complaints
WEB · HIPAA complaints — 45 C.F.R. § 160.306
WEB · HHS — Filing a health information privacy complaint
R11 · Discrimination in health or human services
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. HHS OCR provides a separate civil-rights complaint gateway for matters within its
jurisdiction.
Limits. Identify the applicable law and coverage. Ordinary poor service does not, without more,
establish a civil-rights violation.
Before using. Check the organization, program/funding, protected activity or characteristic,
accessibility needs and current complaint instructions. Keep employment and education
branches separate where appropriate.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 42 U.S.C. § 12203
WEB · HHS OCR — civil-rights complaints


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Healthcare-program fraud
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R12 · Medicaid provider fraud; facility abuse
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. NMDOJ’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit describes investigations of provider fraud and
abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of facility residents.
Limits. A licensing complaint, billing disagreement, fraud allegation and personal civil claim are
not interchangeable.
Before using. Use NMDOJ’s official intake gateway and identify the program, provider, event and
basis for concern. Do not assume a tip initiates a qui tam action or secures retaliation relief.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 31 U.S.C. § 3730(h)
WEB · NMDOJ — Criminal Affairs / Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
WEB · NMDOJ — submit a complaint
R13 · Fraud involving federal HHS programs
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. HHS Office of Inspector General provides a federal fraud-reporting gateway for
matters within its remit.
Limits. A fraud report is not a universal medical-care complaint or a private False Claims Act
filing.
Before using. Identify the federal program and conduct. Separate documented transactions from
estimates and inference; follow the official intake and privacy instructions.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 31 U.S.C. § 3730(h)
WEB · HHS Office of Inspector General — report fraud


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Police oversight and certification
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R14 · Complaints about APD personnel
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. Albuquerque’s Civilian Police Oversight Agency (CPOA) receives and investigates
complaints concerning Albuquerque Police Department personnel.
Limits. This APD-specific route is not a statewide police complaint office and should not be
substituted for a sheriff’s or another department’s process.
Before using. Use the official complaint form; identify APD, incident and conduct. Check current
process, review/appeal options, privacy and independent clocks. The form was not submitted.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · Albuquerque Civilian Police Oversight Agency
WEB · CPOA — complaint or commendation form
R15 · Officer certification concerns
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. New Mexico’s Law Enforcement Certification Board (LECB) has a
certification/disciplinary role distinct from an employer’s internal review.
Limits. The misconduct-reporting material includes agency reporting duties. Those clocks are not
automatically a civilian complaint deadline. Direct citizen intake was not fully verified.
Before using. Use the official contact route to confirm whether and how a civilian submission
will be accepted. An inquiry is not necessarily a filed complaint.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · NM Law Enforcement Certification Board
WEB · LECB — misconduct reporting
WEB · LECB — contact information


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Other police and judicial conduct
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R16 · Another police or sheriff’s agency
LOCAL ROUTE NOT VERIFIED
Possible fit. Routing worksheet: first identify the actual employing agency and its jurisdiction.
Look for its published professional-standards/internal-affairs process and any applicable external
oversight body.
Limits. No New Mexico State Police, BCSO, campus-police or other local intake is recertified by
this entry. Do not send to CPOA merely because an event occurred near Albuquerque.
Before using. Verify the office, official URL, complaint method, acknowledgment and
independent deadlines before use. A records custodian, misconduct reviewer and prosecutor
perform different functions.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
R36 · New Mexico judicial conduct
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The NM Judicial Standards Commission examines covered state judicial conduct; the
Supreme Court decides discipline.
Limits. This is not an appeal from a ruling, a federal-judge process, a lawyer complaint, or
automatic reassignment of a case.
Before using. Use the official jurisdiction and complaint instructions. Keep any appeal or court
deadline on its own track.
While waiting. The Commission says it cannot provide status updates; it communicates the outcome in writing
subject to applicable limits. Next steps
WEB · NM Judicial Standards Commission — about and jurisdiction


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Federal reporting gateways
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R17 · Possible federal civil-rights violation
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. U.S. DOJ’s Civil Rights Division provides an official reporting portal for potential
violations within its enforcement responsibilities.
Limits. A report is not a private lawsuit, an accepted attorney engagement, a finding of
wrongdoing or a promise that DOJ will act.
Before using. Identify the conduct and relevant institution/function. Use the portal’s own scope
and privacy instructions; separately examine any private claim and deadline.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 42 U.S.C. § 1983 · 42 U.S.C. § 12203
WEB · U.S. DOJ — report a civil-rights violation
R18 · Possible federal crime / witness harm
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. Use the FBI’s official contact page for federal-crime reporting contacts and tip entry
points.
Limits. Not every threat, false statement or later disadvantage satisfies a federal offense.
Government investigation and prosecution are separate from private relief.
Before using. Describe acts and sources; do not claim the checklist proves a crime. For
witness-related matters, identify the proceeding or communication and federal connection to be
examined.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 18 U.S.C. § 1512 · 18 U.S.C. § 1513
WEB · FBI — contact us


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Employment, wages and labor
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R19 · Employment discrimination / retaliation
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. EEOC’s employment-discrimination charge process. An inquiry is not the same as a
signed charge.
Limits. Coverage and clocks are claim-specific; federal employees have a different EEO process.
Before using. Verify worker status, protected activity, charge requirements and the independent
deadline.
Timing. EEOC investigation (p. 12)
While waiting. Use the portal and check instructions for later events and notices. Next steps
Law: 42 U.S.C. § 12203
WEB · EEOC — filing an employment-discrimination charge
R25 · Wages, hours and covered leave
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division receives complaints under the wage, hour and
leave laws it administers.
Limits. Coverage varies; this is not an all-purpose discrimination or contract forum.
Before using. Keep employer, pay, hours and event records; use WHD’s current contact
instructions.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division — complaints
R26 · Employer or union labor practices
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. NLRB regional offices investigate covered unfair-labor-practice charges against
employers or unions.
Limits. Not every workplace is covered. A merits decision is not a final remedy.
Before using. Ask the regional information officer about coverage and process; read any
dismissal’s review instructions promptly.
Timing. NLRB merits decision (p. 12)
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · NLRB — investigate charges


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Safety and federal personnel
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R20 · NM workplace safety / safety retaliation
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. New Mexico OSHA distinguishes workplace-hazard complaints from discrimination
complaints linked to protected safety activity. Its employee page describes a short retaliation
filing window.
Limits. A hazard report is not necessarily a retaliation complaint. Other OSHA-administered
whistleblower laws have different jurisdiction and clocks.
Before using. Check the exact safety activity, employment setting, event date and accepted
retaliation process promptly. The published period is not an individualized deadline calculation.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · NM OSHA — employee information
R21 · Covered federal personnel / disclosures
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. OSC’s official page separates prohibited-personnel-practice allegations and
wrongdoing disclosures; it also directs readers to other processes for certain matters.
Limits. A disclosure does not automatically initiate a retaliation case or MSPB appeal. Federal
coverage, exclusions, elections and prerequisites must be checked.
Before using. Use the current official filing instructions, which in this pass direct electronic
submission. Do not infer eligibility or a protected status merely from federal employment.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8), (b)(9)
WEB · U.S. Office of Special Counsel — file a complaint


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Education: different complaint routes
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R22 · Education civil-rights concerns
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The U.S. Department of Education’s OCR provides a civil-rights complaint gateway
for covered education matters.
Limits. An academic or disciplinary disagreement is not automatically a civil-rights claim.
Institutional appeals, education-records questions and employment routes may be different.
Before using. Identify the applicable protection, institution, activity, challenged action and
independent clocks. Current Title VI, Title IX and Section 504 law/procedure require their own
verified cards.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 42 U.S.C. § 12203
WEB · U.S. Education OCR — file a discrimination complaint
R32 · Higher-education complaints
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. NM HED describes a complaint route for covered public and NM-licensed or
registered private postsecondary institutions.
Limits. Its page requires exhaustion of the institution’s complaint process and excludes grade
and student-conduct appeals. Other forums have separate rules.
Before using. Check institution coverage, complaint category and the appropriate HED/SARA
instructions before filing.
Timing. NM HED: two distinct stages (p. 13)
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · NM Higher Education Department — student complaints


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Government records and disputes
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
For personal access and correction, start with the records-process gateway. FERPA complaints,
public access and federal personal-records review are different routes.
R23 · New Mexico public-records concerns
GUIDANCE READ; CODE REVIEW OPEN · scoped check 2026-09-19
Possible fit. NMDOJ distinguishes records-access matters from its enforcement-complaint
process for potential IPRA violations.
Limits. The office’s guidance is not a substitute for current official codified text. A records
request, preservation request and enforcement complaint are different tasks.
Before using. Check current official custodian instructions. The March 2025 NMDOJ statutory
reproduction was read this pass; current official codification and controlling treatment remain
open. Do not promise unconditional release by day 15.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: NMSA 1978 §§ 14-2-6, 14-2-8–12
Code status: New Mexico source gate
WEB · NMDOJ — IPRA guidance and enforcement complaints
WEB · NMDOJ IPRA Compliance Guide — Ninth Edition
WEB · NMDOJ — Inspection of Public Records Act
R35 · Federal records and FOIA disputes
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. FOIA.gov identifies agency-specific federal records routes. OGIS offers neutral
assistance with federal FOIA disputes.
Limits. Federal FOIA is not New Mexico IPRA. OGIS is not the requester’s advocate or a court, and
its assistance is not a production order.
Before using. Use the agency’s request/tracking process; preserve responses and review
instructions. OGIS says its help can be sought at any point in the FOIA process.
While waiting. Ask about status and missing information through the designated process; do not assume a
dispute request stops another clock. Next steps
Law: 5 U.S.C. § 552
WEB · FOIA.gov — frequently asked questions
WEB · National Archives OGIS — mediation program


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Consumer and general intake
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R24 · NMDOJ guided intake / uncertain category
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. NMDOJ offers Guided Help and electronic complaint/tip entry points, with a paper
option described on its page.
Limits. Guided intake is not proof that an office accepted jurisdiction or forwarded a matter
successfully.
Before using. Check the chosen complaint type and recipient, save the exact version and
confirmation, and independently verify other necessary filings. Avoid sending unrelated private
material.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · NMDOJ — submit a complaint
R34 · Fraud or identity-theft reporting
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The FTC’s official site links to ReportFraud and IdentityTheft.gov for their distinct
reporting and recovery workflows.
Limits. A report does not promise individual investigation, reimbursement, a lawsuit or a
stopped collection/appeal clock.
Before using. Choose the relevant official gateway. Separately identify any bank,
identity-recovery, law-enforcement or legal steps needed.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · FTC — official reporting gateways


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Insurance and consumer finance
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R27 · Insurance and managed-care review
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. New Mexico OSI’s consumer-assistance gateway directs insurance concerns and
managed-healthcare review questions.
Limits. Plan type matters. Do not assume OSI has authority over every employer plan, Medicare
issue or benefit dispute.
Before using. Identify the insurer, plan and denial notice. Separate a complaint about conduct
from an appeal seeking coverage.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · NM Office of Superintendent of Insurance — consumer assistance
R33 · Consumer financial products
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. CFPB forwards eligible financial-product or service complaints to companies, or may
refer them to another agency.
Limits. A company reply is not a CFPB investigation finding, enforcement action or guaranteed
payment. Some products have particular prerequisites.
Before using. Include the relevant facts and records at intake. Track the existing complaint and
respond through the portal rather than creating conflicting duplicates.
Timing. CFPB company replies (p. 13)
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · CFPB — consumer complaint process


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Medicare and surprise billing
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R28 · Medicare quality or ending services
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. Medicare’s official finder separates quality-of-care complaints from payment and
coverage appeals, including fast-appeal routes.
Limits. An ordinary complaint is not a substitute for a time-sensitive appeal about discharge or
ending covered services. Contractor assignments can change.
Before using. Read the actual provider notice promptly; use Medicare’s current locator rather
than an old contractor name.
While waiting. An urgent appeal belongs on its notice-specific track, not in an ordinary complaint queue. Next
steps
WEB · Medicare — complaints
WEB · Medicare — fast appeals
R42 · Surprise medical-billing concerns
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. The CMS No Surprises Help Desk receives complaints about possible violations
within its scope and may route matters onward.
Limits. This is not every billing dispute, a malpractice claim or a guarantee that charges will be
cancelled.
Before using. Preserve bills and notices; save the confirmation number. Use that number to
update the existing complaint.
Timing. CMS request for more information (p. 13)
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · CMS — submit a No Surprises complaint


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Care advocacy: residents and VA patients
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R29 · Long-term-care resident advocacy
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. New Mexico’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman program assists residents with concerns
in covered long-term-care settings.
Limits. Advocacy and problem-solving are different from facility enforcement, professional
discipline, emergency protection and a private claim.
Before using. Check setting and resident-consent requirements. Identify the desired care or
communication outcome.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · NM Aging — Long-Term Care Ombudsman
R40 · VA New Mexico care concerns
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. VA New Mexico patient advocates help address concerns about care and service in
that health system.
Limits. These advocates are VA personnel serving a liaison role, not the reader’s lawyer or a
substitute for every benefits, discrimination or legal route.
Before using. The local page describes service-level contacts and patient advocates. Treat this as
a local care-resolution workflow, not a universal legal prerequisite.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · VA New Mexico health care — patient advocates


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Protective-services reporting
Check scope, process and current official instructions. Card IDs identify records; their order is not a
mandatory filing sequence.
R30 · Vulnerable-adult safety reports
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. New Mexico Adult Protective Services is a reporting gateway for suspected abuse,
neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults.
Limits. This is a protective-services route, not a way to resolve every family conflict or compel a
chosen outcome. Immediate danger requires appropriate urgent help.
Before using. Use the official reporting instructions promptly. Verify applicable reporting duties;
do not wait for a polished packet.
While waiting. A hotline’s availability is not a guaranteed response or resolution time. Next steps
WEB · NM Aging — Adult Protective Services
R31 · Child-abuse or neglect reports
INHERITED CHECK · not recertified in this candidate
Possible fit. New Mexico CYFD’s Statewide Central Intake receives reports of suspected child
abuse or neglect.
Limits. This protective route is distinct from student discipline, adult professional licensing or a
school grievance.
Before using. The agency describes prompt reporting duties. Check the official instructions
immediately when relevant; do not postpone reporting to complete this guide.
While waiting. Urgent safety and applicable reporting duties should not be placed on a routine follow-up
schedule. Next steps
WEB · NM CYFD — report abuse and neglect


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Special settings and missing routes
A directory should admit what it has not verified. Absence from this draft does not mean there is no
protection or reporting route.
ADDITIONAL ROUTES STILL NEED REVIEW
NM Human Rights Bureau and state wage routes; federal OSHA’s statute-specific whistleblower
processes; MSPB; student-privacy/FERPA complaints; Medicaid managed-care grievances; HUD
housing routes; employee-benefit and disability-rights assistance; attorney discipline and
additional inspectors general.
MANDATORY REPORTING IS SEPARATE
Adult Protective Services and CYFD identify protective gateways. This draft does not compile all
operative rules on who must report, timing, permitted disclosure or profession/facility duties. Do
not assume an internal report satisfies a statutory requirement.
SPECIAL JURISDICTIONS
Tribal and Indian Health Service settings, military service, detention, interstate telehealth and
license compacts still need dedicated research. The VA New Mexico entry is a care-advocacy
gateway, not a complete federal-institution remedy map.
NO CONTACT INVENTION
R16 remains an explicitly unverified local police entry. Directory-only board entries are not fully
tested complaint procedures. A failed source fetch is not evidence that an agency or protection
disappeared.
BREADTH WITHOUT “SEND TO EVERYONE”
This edition has 46 route records. No route is assigned an effectiveness score or a personal
legal recommendation. Use the outcome distinctions and conditional sequences to ask better
questions.
Known gaps and failed retrievals stay in the research ledger. A gap is “not verified,” not “no law.”


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Read the law and its limits
Each underlined citation opens an internal card. The card identifies a short excerpt, source type,
version and the official full-text link.
42 U.S.C. § 1983
A civil vehicle, not a finding
p. 38
42 U.S.C. § 12203
ADA retaliation and interference
p. 39
31 U.S.C. § 3730(h)
False Claims Act retaliation
p. 40
42 U.S.C. § 1395dd(i)
EMTALA: specified hospital personnel
p. 41
18 U.S.C. § 1512
Federal witness tampering
p. 42
18 U.S.C. § 1513
Federal witness / informant retaliation
p. 43
5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8), (b)(9)
Covered federal personnel
p. 44
42 C.F.R. § 482.13(a)(2)
Hospital grievance process
p. 45
45 C.F.R. § 164.524
HIPAA access: a bounded right
p. 46
New Mexico source gate
Current codification and controlling treatment remain open.
p. 47
DO NOT CONFUSE THE THREE CHECKS
A page opens. A passage supports a proposition. The law is current and applicable. These are
different checks. The federal Code cards use official 2024 snapshots; a fresh retrieval does
not certify later amendments or case treatment.
Statutes, regulations, cases, agency guidance and local policy need separate labels. Regulatory
cards here use the government-maintained eCFR, which describes itself as authoritative but
unofficial. No card is an individualized legal conclusion.
New shared records cards: FERPA, HIPAA amendment, IPRA, FOIA and the Privacy Act.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
A CIVIL VEHICLE, NOT A FINDING
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42 U.S.C. § 1983
A01 · STATUTE · Excerpt only; read the full section and its context.
A01 · SOURCE STATUS
OFFICIAL 2024 SNAPSHOT · Later amendments and case treatment not certified.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or
Territory or the District of Columbia”
Opening sentence; excerpt
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
The text supplies a civil action tied to deprivation of federal rights under color of state-type law. It
is not itself a list of every protected right.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Identify the federal right, challenged conduct, attribution, proper defendant and capacity,
causation, defenses, forum, and independent filing rules. Government funding or a job title does
not complete this analysis.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
Current state-action cases, immunity, remedy limits, accrual and procedural requirements
remain to be researched. Do not substitute this civil text for a criminal offense or assume it
supplies a federal-actor remedy.
SOURCE / VERSION
2024 U.S. Code edition — official archived text
Specified text read; amendments since snapshot and controlling case treatment NOT certified.
WEB · Read the full text — 42 U.S.C. § 1983
www.govinfo.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Related routes: R17. Return to the authority index.


--- Page 39 ---
PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
ADA RETALIATION AND INTERFERENCE
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42 U.S.C. § 12203
A02 · STATUTE · Excerpt only; read the full section and its context.
A02 · SOURCE STATUS
OFFICIAL 2024 SNAPSHOT · Later amendments and case treatment not certified.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“No person shall discriminate against any individual because such individual has
opposed any act or practice made unlawful by this chapter”
Subsection (a), opening clause; excerpt
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
Subsection (a) also addresses specified participation. Subsection (b) separately addresses
interference, coercion, intimidation and threats, including specified assistance to another.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Who: individual within the relevant protection. Activity/nexus: identify the ADA right and
opposition, participation or assistance. Response: distinguish retaliation from interference.
Causation/knowledge: examine the specific theory and controlling cases.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
Forum, prerequisite, deadline and remedy depend on the applicable title and the
cross-references in subsection (c). Reasonable-belief, standing and causation questions are
not resolved by this excerpt. No universal retaliation test is supplied.
SOURCE / VERSION
2024 U.S. Code edition — official archived text
Specified text read; amendments since snapshot and controlling case treatment NOT certified.
WEB · Read the full text — 42 U.S.C. § 12203
www.govinfo.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Related routes: R11 · R19 · R22. Return to the authority index.


--- Page 40 ---
PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
FALSE CLAIMS ACT RETALIATION
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31 U.S.C. § 3730(h)
A03 · STATUTE · Excerpt only; read the full section and its context.
A03 · SOURCE STATUS
OFFICIAL 2024 SNAPSHOT · Later amendments and case treatment not certified.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“Any employee, contractor, or agent shall be entitled to all relief necessary to make
that employee, contractor, or agent whole”
Subsection (h)(1), opening clause; excerpt
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
The subsection addresses specified employment-related responses because of lawful acts
furthering an FCA action or efforts to stop violations of the subchapter.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Who/activity: employee, contractor or agent; identify the covered acts.
Nexus/knowledge/causation: investigate the fraud-related connection, recipient knowledge and
applicable cases. Forum: appropriate U.S. district court. Clock: (h)(3) states three years after
retaliation; this is not a personal calculation.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
Relief listed in (h)(2) includes reinstatement, double back pay, interest and special
damages/costs. Coverage, defendants and proof still matter. A retaliation claim, fraud hotline
report and qui tam action are distinct; filing/seal/public-disclosure rules require separate
review.
SOURCE / VERSION
2024 U.S. Code edition — official archived text
Specified text read; amendments since snapshot and controlling case treatment NOT certified.
WEB · Read the full text — 31 U.S.C. § 3730
www.govinfo.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Related routes: R12 · R13. Return to the authority index.


--- Page 41 ---
PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
EMTALA: SPECIFIED HOSPITAL PERSONNEL
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42 U.S.C. § 1395dd(i)
A04 · STATUTE · Excerpt only; read the full section and its context.
A04 · SOURCE STATUS
AGENCY STATUTE COMPILATION · Text retrieved; later amendments and case treatment not
independently certified.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“or against any hospital employee because the employee reports a violation of a
requirement of this section”
Social Security Act § 1867(i), final clause; excerpt
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
The provision addresses adverse action by a participating hospital. It also covers specified
medical personnel refusing to authorize an unstabilized emergency transfer.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Who: verify the exact personnel category. Activity/nexus: reporting this section’s violation or the
specified refusal, not healthcare criticism in general. Response/causation: hospital penalty or
adverse action because of the covered act.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
The excerpt is not a universal patient or healthcare-worker protection. Forum, private-action
basis, remedy, causation, deadline and prerequisites require examination of subsection (d)
and controlling cases; do not assume each personnel claim fits the patient civil-remedy
route.
SOURCE / VERSION
SSA statutory compilation read September 19, 2026
Subsection (i) and related civil-enforcement provisions; subsequent amendments and case treatment not
independently certified.
WEB · Read the source — Social Security Act § 1867 / 42 U.S.C. § 1395dd
www.ssa.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Related routes: R08 · R09. Return to the authority index.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
FEDERAL WITNESS TAMPERING
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18 U.S.C. § 1512
A05 · STATUTE · Excerpt only; read the full section and its context.
A05 · SOURCE STATUS
OFFICIAL 2024 SNAPSHOT · Later amendments and case treatment not certified.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“an official proceeding need not be pending or about to be instituted at the time of the
offense”
Subsection (f)(1); excerpt
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
The section contains different offenses concerning witnesses, victims, informants, evidence and
specified communications. The quoted timing rule does not erase other elements.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Who/activity: identify the relevant person, communication or proceeding. Nexus: identify the
subsection’s federal connection. Response/intent: identify the alleged force, threat, persuasion,
misleading conduct or other specified act and required mental state.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
Government criminal enforcement is distinct from a personal damages claim. Do not infer
criminal liability from a disagreement or a missing record. Definitions, controlling
treatment, causation and criminal limitation rules are not fully reviewed here; no civilian
report deadline or guaranteed prosecution is supplied.
SOURCE / VERSION
2024 U.S. Code edition — official archived text
Specified text read; amendments since snapshot and controlling case treatment NOT certified.
WEB · Read the full text — 18 U.S.C. § 1512
www.govinfo.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Related routes: R18 · R17. Return to the authority index.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
FEDERAL WITNESS / INFORMANT RETALIATION
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18 U.S.C. § 1513
A06 · STATUTE · Excerpt only; read the full section and its context.
A06 · SOURCE STATUS
OFFICIAL 2024 SNAPSHOT · Later amendments and case treatment not certified.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“for providing to a law enforcement officer any truthful information relating to the
commission or possible commission of any Federal offense”
Subsection (e), part of the offense; excerpt
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
Subsection (e) addresses knowingly taking harmful action with intent to retaliate for specified
truthful information; harm can include interference with lawful employment or livelihood.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Who/activity: identify the person, information and recipient. Nexus: possible federal offense and
the relevant officer definition. Response/knowledge/causation: identify harm, knowledge and
retaliatory intent. Other subsections concern different acts and settings.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
This criminal statute is not interchangeable with an employment retaliation claim. A later
adverse event does not complete its elements. Government enforcement, definitions,
remedies outside this provision and limitation questions require separate review; reporting
does not guarantee a prosecution.
SOURCE / VERSION
2024 U.S. Code edition — official archived text
Specified text read; amendments since snapshot and controlling case treatment NOT certified.
WEB · Read the full text — 18 U.S.C. § 1513
www.govinfo.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Related routes: R18 · R17. Return to the authority index.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
COVERED FEDERAL PERSONNEL
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5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8), (b)(9)
A07 · STATUTE · Excerpt only; read the full section and its context.
A07 · SOURCE STATUS
OFFICIAL 2024 SNAPSHOT · Later amendments and case treatment not certified.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“any disclosure of information by an employee or applicant which the employee or
applicant reasonably believes evidences”
Subsection (b)(8)(A), introductory words; excerpt
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
Paragraph (8) specifies disclosure categories and conditions. Paragraph (9) separately addresses
specified complaint, assistance, cooperation and refusal activity.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Who: check covered position, agency and exclusions. Activity/belief/nexus: identify the exact
paragraph and recipient. Response: defined personnel action, including specified threatened or
omitted actions. Knowledge/causation: apply the correct statute and procedural route.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
OSC disclosure and PPP complaint channels differ. MSPB jurisdiction, exhaustion/election,
deadlines, burdens and remedies require additional authority review; not all federal
workers or contractors share this route. Do not use ordinary public channels for classified or
otherwise restricted information.
SOURCE / VERSION
2024 U.S. Code edition — official archived text
Specified text read; amendments since snapshot and controlling case treatment NOT certified.
WEB · Read the full text — 5 U.S.C. § 2302
www.govinfo.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Related routes: R21. Return to the authority index.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
HOSPITAL GRIEVANCE PROCESS
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42 C.F.R. § 482.13(a)(2)
A08 · REGULATION · Excerpt only; read the full section and its context.
A08 · SOURCE STATUS
GOVERNMENT eCFR TEXT · Page currency September 17, 2026; legal treatment not certified.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“The hospital must establish a process for prompt resolution of patient grievances”
Paragraph (a)(2), opening words; excerpt
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
This hospital Condition of Participation calls for grievance procedures and specified
written-resolution information, including investigation steps, results and completion date.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Check whether the facility and concern fall within the rule. Identify the grievance recipient,
submission method, facility time frames, contact person and written disposition. Read the entire
paragraph rather than treating this excerpt as a complete process.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
This is a regulation, not a statute or a promise of individual compensation. Facility oversight,
professional licensing, civil-rights complaints and private claims remain distinct. Coverage,
enforcement and any personal remedy need their own authority.
SOURCE / VERSION
eCFR page: Title 42 up to date September 17, 2026
Paragraph (a)(2) grievance process. eCFR is authoritative but unofficial; not an official legal edition.
WEB · Read the full text — 42 C.F.R. § 482.13 — patient rights
www.ecfr.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Related routes: R09 · R08. Return to the authority index.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
HIPAA ACCESS: A BOUNDED RIGHT
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45 C.F.R. § 164.524
A09 · REGULATION · Excerpt only; read the full section and its context.
A09 · SOURCE STATUS
GOVERNMENT eCFR TEXT · Page currency September 17, 2026; legal treatment not certified.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“an individual has a right of access to inspect and obtain a copy of protected health
information about the individual in a designated record set”
Paragraph (a)(1), excerpt subject to its surrounding exceptions
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
The rule concerns access to covered information in designated record sets. It contains exceptions
and denial/review procedures, not an unqualified right to every file held by an institution.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Identify the covered entity, requester or representative, records sought, format, request date,
response and stated basis for denial. Check the rule’s timing and extension conditions rather than
importing a public-records deadline.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
Access, amendment and accounting are separate questions. Do not assume an access request
requires a new audit analysis or reaches every internal log. A complaint to HHS OCR is
separate from the request to the entity.
Timing detail: HIPAA access request: action by the entity.
SOURCE / VERSION
Government-maintained eCFR, authoritative but unofficial. Title 45 displays currency September 17, 2026; that is not a
section-amendment date.
Paragraphs (b)(2)(i)–(ii) read for action on an access request and one conditional extension. No comprehensive
legal-treatment review.
WEB · Read the full text — 45 C.F.R. § 164.524 — access to PHI
www.ecfr.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Related routes: R10. Return to the authority index.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
AUTHORITY RESEARCH
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New Mexico source gate
Official source discovery is complete enough to identify the publisher, but not to certify the
operative NMSA text for these topics.
A bounded statutory reproduction is now documented on the IPRA records/process card. That
source does not close the current official-codification gate.
The New Mexico Compilation Commission identifies itself as the state’s official legal publisher
and supplies the NMOneSource gateway. The current codified sections could not be retrieved for
this pass. The links below are repository links, not verified section-text links.
WEB · New Mexico Compilation Commission
WEB · NM Compilation Commission — search laws
FIRST CODE TRANCHE
Whistleblower Protection Act: NMSA 1978 §§ 10-16C-1 to -6. Human Rights Act retaliation:
relevant portions of § 28-1-7. IPRA: Chapter 14, Article 2. New Mexico Civil Rights Act: Chapter 41,
Article 4A.
WITNESS / RECORDS / SAFETY TRANCHE
Witness provisions: § 30-24-3. Evidence tampering: § 30-22-5. Public-record tampering: § 30-26-1.
Peace-officer duty: § 29-1-1. Safety retaliation: § 50-9-25. These citations are research targets, not
certified summaries.
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CURRENT CODE
An agency summary, old session law, proposed amendment or draft jury instruction cannot
be silently relabeled as the current code. Capture the exact section, subsection, version,
amendments and controlling treatment before adding operative instructions.
Record a source gap as “not verified,” not “no law” or “no protection.” Keep the later Stage 4
corrections and its unresolved flags; the older federal-rights dataset supplies structure and
research leads, not controlling legal authority.


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RECORDS · NEW IN THIS CANDIDATE
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Which records process fits?
The copy, holder, requester and purpose determine which questions to ask.
PERSONAL ACCESS IS NOT PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
FERPA education records and qualifying treatment records have different access rules. The
student’s own access is separate from public inspection of records held by a public institution. A
confidential record can satisfy a public-record definition without being publicly releasable.
HIPAA IS NOT THE DEFAULT FOR EVERY CLINICAL FILE
Its PHI definition excludes the specified FERPA education and treatment records. HIPAA
designated-record-set access, amendment and accounting have different scopes and clocks. A
therapist’s file is not automatically a set of psychotherapy notes.
AMENDMENT IS NOT A SUBSTANTIVE APPEAL
FERPA amendment/hearing, HIPAA disagreement and Privacy Act amendment/review are
different. IPRA and FOIA principally address access, not a universal right to rewrite records.
Preserve independent appeal and claim deadlines.
A SPECIFIC PRESERVATION RULE
FERPA § 99.10(e) prohibits destruction of covered education records while a request under
that access section is outstanding. Do not say that an access request never affects
preservation. It is also not a universal litigation hold.
WEB · FERPA regulations — 34 C.F.R. Part 99
WEB · HIPAA definitions — 45 C.F.R. § 160.103
WEB · HIPAA Privacy Rule — 45 C.F.R. Part 164, Subpart E
WEB · NMDOJ IPRA Compliance Guide — Ninth Edition
The Records Access & Corrections companion provides the full workflow, source cards, clocks
and sixteen templates. Here, use SPPO / Privacy Act, health-IT / court records, and the shared
law-card index.


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
RECORDS · FEDERAL GATEWAYS
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School and federal personal records
The correct records route is not necessarily the institution’s general grievance office.
R43 · FERPA: school records and SPPO
SCOPED OFFICIAL GATEWAY CHECK · scoped check 2026-09-19
Possible fit. Possible noncompliance with FERPA education-record access, amendment/hearing
or disclosure rules. Use the actual school process and the Student Privacy Policy Office complaint
gateway as appropriate.
Limits. SPPO is distinct from ED OCR’s discrimination office. Its page encourages local resolution
for FERPA but does not impose that as a universal prerequisite. Complaint filing time is not
investigation time.
Before using. Use current complaint form, eligibility, consent and submission instructions; check
§ 99.64’s 180-day violation/knowledge trigger and possible good-cause extension.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. §§ 99.3, 99.5
WEB · Student Privacy Policy Office — File a complaint
WEB · FERPA regulations — 34 C.F.R. Part 99
R44 · Federal personal records: Privacy Act
SCOPED OFFICIAL GATEWAY CHECK · scoped check 2026-09-19
Possible fit. Access to, or amendment of, covered federal records about an eligible individual;
identify the actual agency and system of records.
Limits. System-specific exemptions, eligibility and retrieval criteria matter. Ten working days
concerns amendment acknowledgment, not final action. FOIA may supply a separate overlapping
access route.
Before using. Find the agency’s current access/amendment and refusal-review instructions,
accepted identity verification and exact notice requirements.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
Law: 5 U.S.C. § 552a · 5 U.S.C. § 552
WEB · Privacy Act — 5 U.S.C. § 552a
WEB · FOIA.gov — How to make a FOIA request


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PUBLIC RIGHTS FIELD GUIDE
RECORDS · SPECIAL GATEWAYS
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Health-IT and court-record questions
These gateways answer different questions from a professional discipline complaint.
R45 · Electronic health information: information blocking
SCOPED OFFICIAL GATEWAY CHECK · scoped check 2026-09-19
Possible fit. The ONC official gateway identifies claim submission and actor-specific ONC/HHS
OIG roles for possible interference with electronic health information.
Limits. Actor, knowledge, practice and exceptions must be checked. Failure to satisfy an
exception alone does not establish information blocking. A report is not a damages award.
Before using. Use the current claim portal linked from the official page; record specific
requested information, dates, actors, replies and any asserted basis for delay. No portal
submission was tested.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · ONC — Information blocking and complaint gateway
R46 · Court records: correct court and clerk
SCOPED OFFICIAL GATEWAY CHECK · scoped check 2026-09-19
Possible fit. The NM Courts gateway distinguishes court-case records from court administrative
public records. Contact the court/clerk responsible for the particular case or record.
Limits. A records request is not a motion, appeal, amendment of a judgment or automatic access
to sealed/protected material. Federal FOIA does not govern federal courts.
Before using. Verify the case number, court, access/copy rules, any sealed status and the proper
procedural route for correcting a court record.
Waiting / next steps · No completion estimate verified here.
WEB · New Mexico Courts — Records requests


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RECORDS · AUTHORITY INDEX
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Records authority cards
The same source-linked cards also appear in the Records Access & Corrections companion.
FERPA education records
20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. §§ 99.3, 99.5
p. 52
HIPAA amendment and disagreement
45 C.F.R. § 164.526
p. 53
IPRA: record, access and process
NMSA 1978 §§ 14-2-6, 14-2-8–12
p. 54
FOIA: federal records and review
5 U.S.C. § 552
p. 55
Privacy Act access and amendment
5 U.S.C. § 552a
p. 56
SOURCE STATUS
Code PDFs, eCFR current displays and the NMDOJ statutory reproduction are labeled
separately. These excerpts are not the complete law. They do not determine a personal
entitlement or filing date.


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RECORDS · AUTHORITY & VERSION
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FERPA education records
RA01 · 20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. §§ 99.3, 99.5
RA01 · SOURCE STATUS
SCOPED TEXT CHECK · Sources read September 19, 2026; not independent legal signoff.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“Directly related to a student;”
§ 99.3, education records, paragraph (a)(1); one of two required components.
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
The definition also requires maintenance by the educational agency/institution or a party acting
for it. Media do not decide coverage. Eligible-student rights generally transfer at age 18 or
attendance at a postsecondary institution.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Check covered institution, attendance, actual record, maintenance and every relevant exclusion.
The definition includes a person who is or has been in attendance, so leaving an institution does
not itself remove retained records from the definition.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
Student employment, sole-possession notes and law-enforcement-unit records have specific
tests. A label such as “clinical,” “private” or “disciplinary” does not settle them. This card
does not decide a civil remedy.
SOURCE / VERSION
eCFR · Title 34 displayed current through September 17, 2026. Authoritative but unofficial; scoped Part 99 text check.
WEB · Read the full text — FERPA regulations — 34 C.F.R. Part 99
www.ecfr.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
SOURCE / VERSION
Official GovInfo FERPA statute PDF resolving link; read September 19, 2026. Amendment-through date not
independently established.
WEB · Read the full text — FERPA — 20 U.S.C. § 1232g
www.govinfo.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Return to the authority index.


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RECORDS · AUTHORITY & VERSION
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HIPAA amendment and disagreement
RA08 · 45 C.F.R. § 164.526
RA08 · SOURCE STATUS
SCOPED TEXT CHECK · Sources read September 19, 2026; not independent legal signoff.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“appending or otherwise providing a link to the location of the amendment.”
§ 164.526(c)(1); excerpt describing minimum accepted-amendment method.
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
The entity must act within 60 days of receipt, with one additional period of up to 30 days if timely
written reasons and a completion date are given. Acceptance entails an appropriate amendment,
identification of affected records and linked/appended correction.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Denial grounds include originator (with an unavailability qualification),
designated-record-set/access scope and accuracy/completeness. Denial must explain the basis,
disagreement process and complaint route. Relevant recipients and notification duties have their
own conditions.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
A disagreement can be reasonably length-limited. The entity may rebut but must give the
individual a copy. The rule provides linkage and future-disclosure requirements, including
permitted accurate summaries; it does not promise erasure or an independent amendment
hearing.
SOURCE / VERSION
eCFR · Title 45 displayed current through September 17, 2026. Scoped definitions/access/amendment/accounting
check only.
WEB · Read the full text — HIPAA Privacy Rule — 45 C.F.R. Part 164, Subpart E
www.ecfr.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Return to the authority index.


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IPRA: record, access and process
RA10 · NMSA 1978 §§ 14-2-6, 14-2-8–12
RA10 · SOURCE STATUS
CURRENT-CODIFICATION GATE OPEN · March 2025 agency reproduction, checked against
the official gateway; not certified current law.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“that relate to public business, whether or not the records are required by law to be
created or maintained.”
§ 14-2-6(H), end of “public records” definition, as reproduced in the NMDOJ 2025 guide.
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
Public-body/public-business classification and public inspectability are different inquiries. A
confidential student record can fit the public-record definition while protected information is not
publicly releasable. Apply FERPA and the relevant access exceptions separately.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
The reproduced text requires reasonable specificity and requester information for written
requests; email/fax qualify. It addresses prompt inspection, 3-business-day advice when
inspection is delayed, a 15-calendar-day outside period subject to the burdensome/broad-request
provision, and segregation/electronic format.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
This is an official agency reproduction, not current official codification verified through this
release date. Do not infer a right to all student or medical records, a guaranteed release by
day 15, or the meaning of “public record” in a different criminal statute. Current text/cases
must be checked.
SOURCE / VERSION
NMDOJ Ninth Edition · March 2025 statutory reproduction with commentary. Current official codification remains
unverified.
WEB · Read statutory reproduction — NMDOJ IPRA Compliance Guide — Ninth Edition
nmdoj.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
WEB · NMDOJ — Inspection of Public Records Act
WEB · New Mexico Compilation Commission
Return to the authority index.


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RECORDS · AUTHORITY & VERSION
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FOIA: federal records and review
RA11 · 5 U.S.C. § 552
RA11 · SOURCE STATUS
SCOPED TEXT CHECK · Sources read September 19, 2026; not independent legal signoff.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“reasonably describes such records”
§ 552(a)(3)(A)(i); excerpt.
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
FOIA governs covered federal agencies and existing agency records, not state/local bodies,
Congress or federal courts. It provides requested readily reproducible formats and reasonably
segregable nonexempt portions.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Ordinary initial determination: 20 working days, with proper-component receipt/routing and
permitted tolling rules. Written unusual-circumstances provisions allow specified extensions. A
determination is not necessarily completed production. Adverse decisions provide an appeal
period of at least 90 days; expedited-processing decisions have a distinct 10-day rule.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
Use current agency regulations and the actual notice. Fee, identity, exemptions, exhaustion
and litigation rules require separate analysis. OGIS assistance is not an agency appeal or a
promise that an appeal clock stops. Source retrieval alone does not certify later
amendments/cases.
SOURCE / VERSION
Official GovInfo Code PDF resolving link, read September 19, 2026. Amendment-through date and later cases not
certified.
WEB · Read the full text — FOIA — 5 U.S.C. § 552
www.govinfo.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
WEB · FOIA.gov — How to make a FOIA request
WEB · OGIS — Request assistance
Return to the authority index.


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Privacy Act access and amendment
RA12 · 5 U.S.C. § 552a
RA12 · SOURCE STATUS
SCOPED TEXT CHECK · Sources read September 19, 2026; not independent legal signoff.
EXACT EXCERPT · NOT THE FULL PROVISION
“permit the individual to request amendment of a record pertaining to him”
§ 552a(d)(2); excerpt.
WHAT THIS TEXT ADDRESSES
The Privacy Act supplies a separate federal personal-records pathway. The basic “individual”
definition is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident; a system of records has a
personal-identifier retrieval criterion. Other eligibility provisions and exemptions need
individual checking.
COMPONENTS TO CHECK
Amendment-request acknowledgment: 10 working days. Amendment action must be prompt, but
that is not a uniform 10-day decision rule. Administrative review of amendment refusal:
normally within 30 working days of a review request, with a good-cause extension by the agency
head.
LIMITS / UNFINISHED REVIEW
Do not import HIPAA’s access clock. Verify the agency’s access/amendment procedures,
identity requirements, system and exemptions. FOIA and Privacy Act processing can
overlap; neither label guarantees release or deletion of every record. Court and damage
remedies are not decided here.
SOURCE / VERSION
Official GovInfo Code PDF resolving link, read September 19, 2026. Amendment-through date and agency/system
rules not certified.
WEB · Read the full text — Privacy Act — 5 U.S.C. § 552a
www.govinfo.gov · Retrieved 2026-09-19 · No independent legal signoff.
Return to the authority index.


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Versions, updates and corrections
A durable guide is not one that never changes. It is one whose claims, versions and corrections
remain traceable.
TWO LINKS, TWO PURPOSES
Use an internal authority ID for the explanation. The card holds a full citation, a preserved
edition link and—once verified—a current official text link. A stable archived URL preserves
what was read, not what the law will be tomorrow.
SEPARATE DATES
Record source retrieval, publisher currency, effective dates, legal-treatment review, route/contact
check, build date and actual release date. A change anywhere on a Code title does not prove a
particular section was amended.
TIMING AND ROUTE CHANGES
A new organization name, scope, form, status policy or published interval must flag its dependent
routes and pages. An editorial review date is a maintenance checkpoint, not the expiration date of
a right. Never auto-promote “link working” into “law current.”
IF A LINK FAILS
Use the printed citation, publisher and section title to locate the text on the official site. Compare
version and scope before using a replacement. Report the edition/page/card ID and broken
address through a confirmed corrections channel.
THIS FILE DOES NOT UPDATE ITSELF
This is v1.0-rc1, drafted September 19, 2026. No public update website or corrections inbox has
been supplied or established. Obtain a later dated edition through the person who supplied this
review copy; do not assume it is the newest.
WHAT THE NEXT RELEASE MUST HAVE
A user-controlled update/corrections page, immutable edition files, a visible change log, a
source ledger and accessible formats. Material legal changes should flag every linked
proposition and affected route for review, not automatically rewrite them.
A link checker can detect some failures; it cannot determine current legal meaning, jurisdiction,
an injunction, an accepted complaint or a personal deadline. Human source and legal review
remain separate tasks.
THIS CANDIDATE
v1.0-rc1 is a review milestone. Public-release approval remains false; no stable
corrections/update endpoint has been supplied. New records checks do not recertify every
inherited route.


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Route-verification worksheet
Optional local organization aid. Keep case-specific records outside the public guide’s legal registry.
BEFORE USING
This worksheet is not a complaint, privileged communication, preservation order or
deadline calculation. Use only information you are authorized to handle. Consider the
AI/discovery safeguards in the companion before creating or sharing sensitive analysis.
Purpose / result sought:
Person’s role(s) and actual institution:
Professional credential / employing agency:
Candidate office and jurisdiction to verify:
Official source title, URL and date checked:
Accepted method, form and required attachments:
What the office can decide / cannot provide:
Privacy, respondent disclosure and release terms:
Independent deadline / trigger / source / uncertainty:
Other routes and any prerequisite or election:
Exact version sent, date/time/time zone and files:
Receipt / reference number / bounce / referral:
Next review or appeal step and verified source:
Use the bounded follow-up and waiting log only when appropriate. Keep case-specific evidence
outside the public machine-readable backbone.


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A bounded follow-up
A short factual inquiry can clarify the process when the office permits status requests. It does not
file an appeal or suspend a deadline.
CHECK BEFORE SENDING
Use the official accepted route; replace every placeholder; attach only appropriate material.
Do not use this message where a status policy forbids inquiries, a form is required or urgent
legal help is needed.
I submitted [type of submission] on [date] through [accepted route].
My reference number is [number, if issued].
Please confirm the current stage and whether any information is missing. If another office is
responsible, please identify its official route and whether the matter was forwarded.
Please identify any published next-step or review instructions applicable to this submission, and any
estimate you are able to provide. I understand an estimate is not a guarantee.
This message [adds no new allegations / identifies the attached, clearly labeled correction]. Please
associate it with the existing reference number.
Preserve the exact message, delivery evidence and reply. Some offices cannot provide status
updates. New allegations, corrections, an appeal or an emergency may need a different process.
WEB · NM Judicial Standards Commission — about and jurisdiction


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Keep a waiting and notice log
An optional organization tool, not a legal hold or a determination of what must be preserved or
produced.
Submission and accepted method:
Reference number / recipient:
Receipt evidence and date/time/time zone:
Current stage (unknown is allowed):
Who is expected to act next:
Published interval / type / source / date checked:
Actual notice and any required response:
Separate filing, appeal or preservation questions:
New facts or correction (source and date):
Next appropriate checkpoint and reason:
KEEP CONTEXT AND PRIVACY
Preserve originals, note later corrections and distinguish known dates from estimates. Keep
sensitive case records outside the public legal registry. A local file, restricted label or
AI-assisted note is not automatically privileged.
The AI, Evidence & Witnesses companion develops disclosure and legal-process safeguards.
Before a consequential upload or submission, check the actual recipient, governing process and
any preservation or confidentiality obligations.


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How this fits version 1
Keep the Core easy to use while letting readers reach the exact source and the appropriate route.
CORE GUIDE
Task-first explanations, a short authority appendix containing the cards actually cited, essential
warnings and links into specialist modules. Do not require opening another PDF merely to
understand a Core citation.
RECORDS ACCESS & CORRECTIONS
The separately supplied companion explains record classification, personal/public access,
amendment and independent clocks. It contains sixteen canonical templates with TXT exports. It
is also v1.0-rc1, not a public-approved edition.
QUICK TOOLS
Short copyable tools, generated from the same registry. Each standalone tool needs its own scope,
version, caution and source IDs—not a vague reliance on warnings elsewhere.
AUTHORITIES & REPORTING ROUTES
This atlas contains fourteen law-text cards, a New Mexico source gate, 46 route records and eight
inherited timing records. Four new records gateways and shared source cards connect to the
Records Access & Corrections companion. The native v0.7 Core has not been migrated or
recertified.
WITNESS / WHISTLEBLOWER AND AI / EVIDENCE
Keep detailed status-first protection cards, independent witness safeguards, AI transformations,
disclosure and legal-process distinctions in focused supplements. Generate common material
from one canonical record.
MACHINE-READABLE FIRST
Manuscript, routes, authorities, timings, scenarios, sources, templates and style tokens are
canonical JSON. PDF, HTML, text, page maps and the combined backbone are generated from
them; shared content is not maintained as separate pasted copies.
VERSION 1 RELEASE GATES
Complete the active legal/source and route coverage; resolve material gaps or remove
affected instructions; integrate the same cards into native Typst; verify every page, link,
bookmark, selectable tool, accessible alternative and print sample. Obtain scoped
independent legal review of high-risk content.
This atlas is an assistant-prepared reviewer draft, not an approved public release. The package
includes the source/route records, build code, maintenance plan and an honest QA ledger. Your
choices remain yours; the guide explains information and questions rather than deciding your
case.