New York City Civil Court NYC Civil Court Services

Finding Legal Help

Lawsuits should be taken seriously. If you have, or may have, a case in our court we strongly suggest that you consult an attorney to fully determine your legal rights and the best way of handling your legal problem. The court provides some services to help you represent yourself, but court staff cannot give you legal advice.

Finding a Lawyer and Getting Legal Advice

Law Help

To find information on free legal services programs visit LawHelp and type in your zip code or the county you live in. Then select the type of legal problem you are dealing with. Next read about the eligibility requirements for each of the legal services organizations listed to see if you qualify and where to go for help.

Legal Referral Services at the New York State and New York City Bar Associations

The New York State Bar Association and the New York City Bar Association can help you find a lawyer in your area. Your initial conversation with a lawyer from these programs will be up to 30 minutes and will be either free or at a reduced rate of $35.

During your visit with the lawyer, you and the lawyer will discuss your legal problem and the lawyer will give you legal advice. You do not have to hire the lawyer. The lawyer does not have to take your case. If the lawyer agrees to take your case, the lawyer will charge you at his or her regular rates.

City Bar Justice Center Legal Hotline

The City Bar Justice Center’s free Legal Hotline offers legal information, advice, referrals, and in some instances, brief services, to low-income New Yorkers. The Legal Hotline phone number is 212-626-7383.

The Legal Hotline is staffed by attorneys who assist low-income callers on a range of civil legal issues, including housing law and debt collection. The staff includes bilingual attorneys who speak English and Spanish, and they can accept calls in any language through interpreting services.

Monday Night Law Clinic

The New York City Bar Association, located at 42 W. 44th Street in Manhattan, runs a Monday Night Law Clinic. At the clinic, trained lawyers will meet with you for a free half-hour consultation. You must schedule an appointment for the Monday Night Clinic by calling 212-626-7373. Visit the Bar Association’s website for more information on Monday Night Law.

Free Lawyers for Tenants (Universal Access to Legal Services)

Some tenants can get a free lawyer in their cases under the Universal Access to Legal Services Law. New York City is the first city in the country to provide universal access to lawyers for tenants in housing cases.

Visit Free Lawyers for Tenants to see if you qualify.

Tenant Legal Service Organizations

The Tenant Legal Service Organizations document contains a list of all not-for-profit legal service providers actively handling housing matters in New York City. You can search for an organization that handles matters in your county. Visit the website of or call each organization to learn more about the services they provide and if you qualify.

Lease Assistance Partnership

The New York Forward Small Business Lease Assistance Partnership (LAP) is a public-private partnership between Empire State Development, the nonprofit Start Small Think Big, and the New York State Bar Association, to help avoid business evictions. The initiative provides commercial tenants and small business landlords with free legal services and the information needed to reach a mutually agreeable lease renegotiation.

Limited-Scope Legal Advice and Representation

Overview

New York City Civil Court Help Centers are in every Civil and Housing Court building. The Help Centers provide free services to people without an attorney who are starting or answering a case.

Each Help Center has court attorneys and volunteer attorneys trained to give legal and procedural information on Housing, General Civil, and Small Claims procedures. There are also free pamphlets on legal topics; free internet for legal help; and information about legal, rental, and social services help. The Help Centers also have computer stations that can be used to access the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Programs to create forms needed for court.

The Help Centers do not schedule appointments and all visitors are helped on a “walk-in” basis, so you may need to wait for assistance. Please bring any relevant documents including court papers, notices, written agreements you have signed, or court orders you have received.

Help Center Attorneys

Help Center Attorneys work for the Civil Court and provide information about the law and court procedures to people without an attorney. They are available to help all parties to a case and cannot give legal advice or tell you the best way to handle your case.

What Can Help Center Attorneys Do?

Help Center Attorneys can provide information on:

• Landlord-tenant, general civil, or small claims cases
• How to start cases
• How to answer cases
• Filling out housing and civil court forms
• Court procedure
• How to get or make repairs
• Referrals to appropriate agencies

Help Center Volunteer Attorneys

Volunteer attorneys provide free information about the law and court procedures to people without an attorney. Volunteer attorneys are unable to represent you in court or file your papers.

Please check with the Help Center to find out if there are volunteer attorneys scheduled on the date you plan to visit the Help Center. If you have a pending case and need help, you should still consider contacting the Help Center to discuss your concerns with one of our experienced and knowledgeable Help Center court attorneys.

Internet Access

Help Centers provide free access to the internet for litigants to research community resources, and legal topics while at the courthouse. You can also use the computer to fill out court forms, including DIY (Do-It-Yourself) forms, and access court resources including videos, publications, and community seminars. You can use the computer for up to 30 minutes to visit a number of websites. However, you cannot read or send email.

Help Center Hours, Locations, and Phone Numbers

For information on Help Center hours and locations, please visit our Civil Court Help Center page or the Court Help Directory.

Interpreters

The Civil Court provides free interpreters in more than 100 languages and in American Sign Language for all general civil, housing, and small claims cases. We are committed to providing equal access to our court for people who do not feel comfortable communicating in English. If you or someone you know has a case in Civil Court and want an interpreter, tell a clerk, court attorney, or judge.

For more information visit the Language Access and Court Interpreters page.