Deliberations by a public body in connection with an administrative adjudicatory proceeding can be closed. OMA defines administrative adjudicatory proceeding as a proceeding brought by or against a person before a public body in which individual legal rights, duties or privileges are required by law to be determined by the public body after a trial-type hearing. However, the final action has to occur in an open meeting. NMSA 1978 § 10-15-1-H (3)

The right to deliberate in private is similar to the exception for licensing and personnel hearings. It also provides the same privilege that judges and courts have to weigh and consider the evidence presented in private.