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Legal Aid Society

Need Help?
Call 212-577-3300

Family, Domestic Violence & Divorce

We represent survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking and provide legal services to individuals in family and divorce court and survivors in consumer and immigration matters.

How To Get Help

For assistance with any of the issues above contact our team in your borough:

Bronx
646-340-1919
Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Brooklyn
718-422-2838
Second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Manhattan
212-426-3000
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Queens
718- 286-2450
Monday, Wednesday or Friday 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Staten Island
347-422-5333
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Matters or questions regarding the representation of children should be directed to the Juvenile Rights Practice Team in your borough.

Important Things To Know

Legal Aid is compiling the most up to date information and resources for clients during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

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Filing for divorce in New York.

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Obtaining immigration status as a survivor of intimate partner violence/domestic violence.

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Know Your Rights

What You Need to Know About Divorce

What you should know if you are going through or thinking about a divorce.

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What You Need to Know About Orders of Protection

An order of protection is issued by a court to protect you from harm.

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What You Need to Know About Immigration and Intimate Partner/Domestic Violence

Intimate partner and domestic violence can make a frightening immigration situation more perilous. There are some steps you can take to get yourself and your family out of these situations and into a safe space.

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What You Need to Know About Custody and Visitation

A person who has legal custody of a child has the right to make important decisions for that child including, but not limited to, educational, medical and religious decisions. In New York, courts have the power to make decisions regarding the custody of a child until a child attains the age of 18 years.

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What You Need to Know About Child Support

Information about how child support is determined, the amount of support you can except, duration and limitations.

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What You Need to Know About Spousal Support/Maintenance

Spousal support is an amount of money that the court orders one spouse to pay to the other spouse for his or her reasonable needs. Spousal support may be ordered even when spouses reside together.

In New York State a married person may be legally responsible to provide for the support of his or her spouse during their marriage, if that spouse lacks sufficient income or assets to provide for his or her own reasonable needs.

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What You Need to Know About Family Court

Family Court deals with matters involving children and families.

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What You Need to Know About Domestic Violence and Consumer Debt

Debt is any money that you owe to someone else. It includes credit cards, medical bills, car loans, student loans, past due rent, utility bills, or anything else you have been unable to pay.

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Terms You Might Hear

The justice system can be overwhelming. Get familiar with some legal terms and acronyms you might hear like appeal, adjournment, petition, jurisdiction, deposition, and affidavit.

See All Terms
  • Adjournment – A temporary postponement of a case until a specified future time.
  • Attorney – A person admitted to practice law and authorized to perform criminal and civil legal functions on behalf of clients.
  • Clerk – An official or employee of the court who maintains the files of each case, and issues routine documents.
  • Creditor – An individual to whom an obligation is owed because he or she has given something of value in exchange.
  • Custody – The care, possession, and control of a thing or person.
  • Defendant – In a civil matter, this refers to the individual being sued. This party is called the "respondent" in a summary proceeding. In a criminal case, the court officers and district attorneys will use this term to refer to someone accused of a crime.
  • Delinquency – An offense or misdemeanor; a misdeed; A debt or other financial obligation on which payment is overdue.
  • Foster Care – A system in which a child lives with and is cared for by people who are not the child's parents for a period of time.
  • Jurisdiction – The ability for the court to decide the case, based on the type of case.
  • Landlord – A lessor of real property; the owner or possessor of an estate in land or a rental property, who, in an exchange for rent, leases it to another individual known as the tenant.
  • Lawyer – Someone whose job is to give advice to people about the law and speak for them in court.
  • Lien – A claim on specific property for payment of a debt.
  • Maintenance – Repair and upkeep in housing. OR Money or other financial support awarded to a spouse in a divorce action for his or her separate support. Also called spousal support or alimony.
  • Minor – A child under 18 years old.
  • Motion – A request to the court, usually in writing, for relief before the trial on the parties' claims, or for different or additional relief after the trial decision.
  • Notarize – To have a notary public attest to the authenticity of a signature on a document by signing the document and affixing his/her own stamp.
  • Order of Protection – A court order requiring someone to stay a certain distance from another person, and sometimes, their children, home, pets, school or employment.
  • Party – Person having a direct interest in a legal matter, transaction or proceeding.
  • Petition – In special or summary proceedings, a paper like a document filed in court and delivered to the respondents, stating what the petitioner requests from the court and the respondents.
  • Plaintiff – The person suing. This party is called the "petitioner" in summary proceedings.
  • Precinct – A district of a city or town defined for police purposes. May also refer to a police station.
  • Proceeding – A type of lawsuit. For example: In Housing Court, a nonpayment proceeding seeks past-due rent; a holdover proceeding seeks possession of the premises.
  • Public Charge – An immigration law that can be basis for denying a non-citizen entry in the U.S., or for denying an application to adjust status if they are applying through a family member.
  • Social Security – A federal program that provides income, health insurance, and other benefits.
  • Summons – A plaintiff's written notice delivered to the parties being sued, that they must respond to within a specific time.
  • TPS – Temporary Protective Status. Offers temporary legal status to certain immigrants in the United States who cannot return to their home country due to ongoing armed conflict, natural disaster, or other extraordinary reasons.
  • USCIS – United States Citizen and Immigration Services
  • Waive – To voluntarily give up a right. Examples include not enforcing the terms of a contract, or knowingly giving up a legal right such as a speedy trial.

Last Updated: 31 January 2020

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