Free legal information, aid organizations, and court resources for residents of New York. Know your rights and find help.
The nation's oldest and largest legal aid organization, providing free legal services to low-income New Yorkers in civil, criminal, and juvenile rights matters.
Visit Website →Provides free civil legal help to low-income residents across all five boroughs of New York City in housing, family, and benefits matters.
Visit Website →Offers free legal services in civil matters including immigration, domestic violence, health care, and government benefits.
Visit Website →Provides free civil legal services to low-income residents in seven counties of the Hudson Valley, covering housing, family, and benefits.
Visit Website →Provides free legal help to women living in poverty in New York City in family law, immigration, and divorce matters.
Visit Website →The ACLU's New York affiliate, defending civil liberties through litigation, advocacy, and public education on issues from surveillance to criminal justice.
Visit Website →The Court of Appeals is New York's highest court (unusually, the Supreme Court is NOT the highest court). Appellate Divisions of the Supreme Court handle intermediate appeals across four departments. Supreme Courts are the trial courts of general civil jurisdiction. County Courts handle criminal cases outside NYC. The NYC Civil Court, Criminal Court, and Family Court serve the five boroughs. Town and Village Justice Courts handle minor matters.
The Court of Appeals is New York's highest court (seven judges), sitting in Albany. The Appellate Divisions of the Supreme Court operate in four departments: First (Manhattan and Bronx), Second (Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and surrounding counties), Third (upstate east), and Fourth (upstate west). Supreme Courts serve as general jurisdiction trial courts in each county. The NYC Civil Court handles claims up to $50,000. Family Court handles custody, support, and domestic violence matters.
Landmark 2019 law strengthening rent stabilization, limiting security deposits to one month's rent, extending notice periods for rent increases, and expanding tenant protections statewide.
One of the broadest anti-discrimination laws in the nation, covering employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit with extensive protected categories.
Comprehensive consumer protection including Section 349 (deceptive practices) and Section 350 (false advertising) with private right of action.
Provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave at 67% of average weekly wage for bonding, caregiving, or military family needs.
Strengthens data breach notification requirements and requires businesses to implement reasonable data security safeguards to protect private information of New York residents.
Requires employers with four or more employees to include salary ranges in job postings, promoting pay equity and transparency.
Opened a one-year lookback window allowing adult survivors of sexual abuse to file civil claims regardless of when the abuse occurred.
24/7 confidential support and shelter referrals for NYC
1-800-621-4673
Statewide domestic violence support and resources
1-800-942-6906
Report housing emergencies, landlord harassment, and building violations
311
Call or text 988 for immediate mental health crisis support
988
Statewide good cause eviction protections limit rent increases and require landlords to demonstrate just cause before evicting tenants in many residential units.
Automatically seals certain criminal records after a waiting period, helping millions of New Yorkers remove barriers to employment and housing.
New York became the first state to mandate paid prenatal leave, providing 20 hours of paid time off for prenatal medical appointments.
Statute of Limitations: 3 years
This is the maximum time after an event within which you may file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline typically means losing your right to sue.
Statute of Limitations: 6 years
This is the maximum time after an event within which you may file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline typically means losing your right to sue.
Statute of Limitations: 3 years
This is the maximum time after an event within which you may file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline typically means losing your right to sue.
Statute of Limitations: 2.5 years
This is the maximum time after an event within which you may file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline typically means losing your right to sue.
Statute of Limitations: 6 years
This is the maximum time after an event within which you may file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline typically means losing your right to sue.
Typical filing fee: $15-$20 (claims up to $5,000) / $20-$25 (up to $10,000)
Small claims court is designed for individuals to resolve minor disputes quickly and affordably without an attorney.
Typical filing fee: $210-$400 (Supreme Court index number)
Civil court handles larger disputes including personal injury, contract breaches, and property claims. Attorney representation is common.
Typical filing fee: No filing fee in Family Court
Family court handles divorce, custody, child support, adoption, and domestic violence matters. Fee waivers are often available for low-income filers.
The nation's oldest and largest legal aid organization providing free legal services to low-income New Yorkers.
Visit Website →Free civil legal help across all five NYC boroughs in housing, family, and benefits matters.
Visit Website →Free legal services in immigration, domestic violence, health care, and government benefits.
Visit Website →Free civil legal services for low-income residents in 16 northeastern New York counties.
Visit Website →New York's highest court (not the Supreme Court). Seven judges review important civil and criminal cases from the Appellate Divisions.
Visit Court Website →Four departments handling intermediate appeals across the state. Find your department and access case information and filing procedures.
Visit Court Website →General jurisdiction trial courts in each county, plus NYC Civil Court, Criminal Court, and Family Court. Access case lookup and e-filing.
Find Your Local Court →Tenant Protections. Governs residential leases, security deposit limits (one month), landlord obligations, and good cause eviction requirements under the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act.
State Human Rights Law. One of the nation's broadest anti-discrimination statutes covering employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit with extensive protected categories.
Consumer Protection. Section 349 prohibits deceptive acts and practices, and Section 350 prohibits false advertising, both with private right of action for damages and attorney fees.
Family Offense / Domestic Violence. Authorizes Orders of Protection in Family Court for victims of domestic violence, including stay-away orders, custody provisions, and batterer intervention programs.
Whistleblower Protections. Protects employees from retaliation for reporting illegal activity, substantial threats to public health or safety, and healthcare fraud.
Statewide portal connecting low-income New Yorkers to free legal aid organizations, self-help tools, court forms, and legal information by topic.
Visit Website →Provides free legal assistance to low-income New Yorkers in housing, government benefits, employment, disability rights, and consumer protection.
Visit Website →Provides free legal services to low-income residents in Monroe County and surrounding areas in housing, family, and public benefits matters.
Visit Website →The NY AG's Consumer Frauds Bureau investigates deceptive business practices, internet fraud, price gouging, and consumer complaints. The office also enforces data breach notification laws and consumer product safety.
Phone: (800) 771-7755
Online Complaints: File at ag.ny.gov/consumer-frauds-bureau/file-complaint
Visit AG Consumer Protection →The DHR enforces the New York State Human Rights Law, investigating complaints of discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit. The DHR has offices across the state and is a HUD-certified agency for housing discrimination.
Phone: (888) 392-3644
Filing Deadline: 1 year from the discriminatory act (3 years for sexual harassment in employment)
Visit DHR Website →