N.M. Stat. § 4-13-1
That the county of Lea is hereby created out of that portion of the state of New Mexico lying and being situate within the following metes and bounds, as indicated by the United States survey, viz.: at the southeast corner of the state of New Mexico, thence north on the line between the state of New Mexico and the state of Texas, in [to] the northeast corner of township nine (9) south of range thirty-eight (38) east; thence west on the line between townships eight (8) and nine (9) south to the northwest corner of township nine (9) south of range thirty-two (32) east; thence south between ranges thirty-one (31) and thirty-two (32) east of [to] the correction line between townships ten (10) and eleven (11) south; thence west on said correction line to the northwest corner of township eleven (11) south of range thirty-two (32) east; thence south, between ranges thirty-one [31] and thirty-two (32) east, to the correction line between townships fifteen (15) and sixteen (16) south; thence west, on said correction line to the northwest corner of township sixteen (16) south of range thirty-two [32] east; thence south, between ranges thirty-one (31) and thirty-two (32) east to the correction line between townships twenty (20) and twenty-one (21) south; thence east on said correction line to the northwest corner of township twenty-one (21) south of range thirty-two (32) east; thence south between ranges thirty-one [31] and thirty-two (32) east to the south boundary of the state of New Mexico; thence east, on said south boundary to the point of beginning.
NMS § 4-13-1