Parties to most Family Court proceedings have the right to have an attorney. You can hire an attorney of your choice. The City Bar Justice Center Legal Hotline provides legal information, advice, and referrals to low-income New Yorkers who can't afford a private lawyer or don't have access to legal representation. The hotline can help you with civil legal issues, including marital and family law, housing law, domestic violence, bankruptcy and debt collection, and benefits.
You don't need to have an attorney for a custody dispute in most states. Representing yourself in court is your right and can have advantages and disadvantages. Monday Night Law, the legal counsel program held at the New York City Bar Association on Mondays and the New York County Bar Association on other days, has been canceled until further notice. The information in this document has been prepared by The Legal Aid Society for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Legal aid offices are nonprofit agencies that provide free legal help to people who can't afford to hire an attorney. LawHelpNY lists more than 600 free legal service projects and organizations with their contact and admissions information, and more than 4,000 Know Your Rights and self-help resources covering 16 areas of law. The Legal Aid Society Family Law and Domestic Violence Project provides assistance with matters in Family Court and with divorces in the Supreme Court. The New York City Family Court Volunteer Lawyer Program provides brief legal consultations to unrepresented litigants who come to Family Court on matters related to child support, paternity, custody, visitation, and protective orders.
Create comprehensive legal documents to protect your rights in housing, family law, debt collection and many other types of issues, for free. Visit LawHelp's immigration legal aid portal for legal aid resources available to all immigrants, regardless of state. Whether you are facing one or more of these types of cases in New York City Family Court, including Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens, or in Upstate Family Court in Rockland County or Westchester County, it is essential to be represented by an attorney who is compassionate and experienced in these areas. Family crime, governed by section 8 of the Family Courts Act, may be brought by one person against another person who has an intimate or family relationship with that person (or is in a similar situation as defined by law).
