About the Court Navigator Program
The Court Navigator Program was first launched in February 2014 to support and assist unrepresented litigants—people who do not have an attorney—during their court appearances in landlord-tenant and consumer debt cases. Specially trained and supervised non-lawyers, called Court Navigators, provide general information, written materials, and one-on-one assistance to eligible unrepresented litigants.
In addition, Court Navigators provide moral support to litigants, help access court forms, assist with organizing paperwork, accessing interpreters and other court services, explain what to expect and what the role of each person is in the courtroom. Court Navigators are also permitted to accompany unrepresented litigants into the courtroom in Kings County Housing Court and Civil Court. While these Court Navigators cannot address the court on their own, they are able to respond to factual questions asked by the judge or court attorney.
According to a 2017 study of the Court Navigator Program, "people without formal legal training can provide meaningful assistance and services to litigants who are not represented by a lawyer." Roles Beyond Lawyers: Evaluation of the New York City Court Navigator Programs.
For information about how to become a Court Navigator, keep reading.
For more information contact [email protected].
Prospective Court Navigators
The Court Navigator Program trains college students, graduate students, and community members to assist unrepresented litigants, who are appearing in Nonpayment proceedings in the Resolution Part of Housing Court or the Consumer Debt Part of the Civil Court.
Nonpayment proceedings are cases where landlords sue tenants to collect rent. In these disputes, tenants and owners/landlords face the possibility of losing their homes through eviction or foreclosure. Consumer debt proceedings involve credit card companies, hospitals, banks or any other person or company that a litigant may owe money to. Despite the high stakes, most litigants appear in court without an attorney to advocate on their behalf.
The Program operates in partnership with the NYS Unified Court System’s Office for Justice Initiatives.
The Court Navigator Program helps litigants without an attorney have a productive court experience. The program also provides volunteers with a broad range of skills, expands their professional contacts, and contributes to the local community. Participating volunteers under the supervision of court staff. Volunteers gain experience and interact with judges, non-judicial court staff, lawyers, and litigants.
Responsibilities
Court Navigators help unrepresented litigants:
- Locate courtrooms and offices within the courthouse
- Locate courthouse computers to obtain information and access Do It Yourself (DIY) form programs
- Locate legal information and attorney referrals on NYCourtHelp and Law Help NY
- Learn about resources in and outside of the courthouse that may assist with resolving their cases
- Organize documents needed for their cases
- Respond to questions of fact asked by a judge or court attorney
Court Navigators are not attorneys and do not give legal advice or engage in negotiations or settlement conferences.
Training
Court Navigators are required to complete a comprehensive training provided by the Office for Justice Initiatives and the NYC Civil Court. A reference manual is provided at the training.
Training topics include but are not limited to:
- Introduction to Civil and Housing Court
- Basics of Consumer Debt Cases and Nonpayment Proceedings
- Interviewing and Communication Skills
- DIY (Do It Yourself) Form Programs and other online resources
Training is provided at the NYC Civil Court, Kings County.
Volunteer Commitment
Court Navigators volunteer a minimum of 50 hours within three months of the training. Volunteers will have flexibility with their schedule. Participants will receive a Certificate of Recognition upon completing fifty (50) hours of service.
College students may use this opportunity to fulfill an internship requirement, a community service requirement or receive academic credit. Students have the flexibility to schedule their hours over a period of days or months.
Register to Volunteer
If you are interested in becoming a Court Navigator, please send an email to [email protected].
Participating Court Navigators
Thank you for your volunteer service and for your commitment to serving the many unrepresented litigants in need of assistance. If you wish to schedule your volunteer service, prepare for your volunteer experience or submit a testimonial, you may do so from this page.
If you need additional information, feel free to send an email to [email protected].