New Mexico § 39-1-18 - “Cognovit note” defined; execution and procurement prohibited; penalty for violation

§ 39-1-18. “Cognovit note” defined; execution and procurement prohibited; penalty for violation

That any negotiable instrument, or other written contract to pay money, which contains

any provision or stipulation giving to any person any power of attorney, or authority

as attorney, for the maker, or any endorser, or assignor, or other person liable thereon,

and in the name of such maker, endorser, assignor, or other obligor to appear in any

court, whether of record or inferior, or to waive the issuance or personal service

of process in any action to enforce payment of the money, or any part claimed to be

due thereon, or which contains any provision or stipulation authorizing or purporting

to authorize an attorney, agent or other representative, be he designated howsoever,

to confess judgment on such instrument for a sum of money when such sum is to be ascertained,

or such judgment is to be rendered or entered otherwise than by action of court upon

a hearing after personal service upon the debtor, whether with or without attorney's

fee, or which contains any provision or stipulation authorizing or purporting to authorize

any such attorney, agent, or representative to release errors, or the right of appeal

from any judgment thereon, or consenting to the issuance of execution on such judgment,

is hereby designated, defined and declared to be a cognovit note. Any person, natural or corporate, who directly or indirectly shall procure another,

or others, to execute as maker, or to endorse, or assign such cognovit note, or whoever

being the payee, endorsee or assignee thereof shall accept and retain in his possession

any such instrument, or whoever shall conspire or confederate with another, or others,

for the purpose of procuring the execution, endorsement or assignment of any such

instrument, or whoever shall attempt to recover upon or enforce within this state

any judgment obtained in any other state or foreign country based upon any such instrument,

shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined in any

sum not less than fifty dollars ($50.00), and not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00),

to which may be added imprisonment for not less than thirty (30) days.