A. If either party feels aggrieved by the judgment, that party may appeal as in other civil actions. An appeal by the defendant shall stay the execution of any writ of restitution; provided that in cases in which the resident is the appellant, the execution of the writ of restitution shall not be stayed unless the resident, within five days of the filing of the notice of appeal, pays to the owner or into an escrow account with a professional escrow agent an amount equal to the rental amount that shall come due from the day following the judgment through the end of that rental period. The resident shall continue to pay the monthly rent established by the rental agreement at the time the complaint was filed, on a monthly basis on the date rent would otherwise become due. Payments pursuant to this subsection by a subsidized resident shall not exceed the actual amount of monthly rent paid by that resident. When the resident pays the owner directly, the owner shall immediately provide a written receipt to the resident upon demand. When the resident pays into an escrow account the resident shall cause such amounts to be paid over to the owner immediately upon receipt unless otherwise ordered by the court. Upon the failure of the resident or the escrow agent to make a monthly rent payment on the first day rent would otherwise be due, the owner may serve a three-day written notice on the resident pursuant to Subsection D of Section 47-8-33 NMSA 1978. If the resident or the resident's escrow agent fails to pay the rent within the three days, a hearing on the issue shall be scheduled within ten days from the date the court is notified of the failure to pay rent. In the case of an appeal de novo, the hearing shall be in the court in which the appeal will be heard. If, at the hearing, the court finds that rent has not been paid, the court shall immediately lift the stay and issue the writ of restitution unless the resident demonstrates a legal justification for failing to comply with the rent payment requirement.

B. In order to stay the execution of a money judgment, the trial court, within its discretion, may require an appellant to deposit with the clerk of the trial court the amount of judgment and costs or to give a supersedeas bond in the amount of judgment and costs with or without surety. Any bond or deposit shall not be refundable during the pendency of any appeal.

History: 1953 Comp., § 70-7-47, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 38, § 47; 1989, ch. 253, § 2; 1995, ch. 195, § 22; 1999, ch. 91, § 7.

The 1999 amendment, effective June 18, 1999, rewrote Subsection A.

The 1995 amendment, effective July 1, 1995, added the subsection designations and rewrote this section to such an extent that a detailed comparison would be impracticable.

The 1989 amendment, effective June 16, 1989, made minor stylistic changes in the second sentence, and inserted the fourth and fifth sentences.

Effect of violation of stay of execution. — This section does not explicitly or implicitly require that a property owner either do or not do a specific act after the court has issued a writ of restitution, nor does the statute provide a standard of conduct for a reasonable person under circumstances where an appeal has been taken. Accordingly, violation of the statute does not establish negligence per se. Runge v. Fox, 1990-NMCA-086, 110 N.M. 447, 796 P.2d 1143.

Law reviews. — For survey, "The Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act," see 6 N.M.L. Rev. 293 (1976).

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 52A C.J.S. Landlord and Tenant § 784.