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Legal Hotline United States New York

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If someone you love just got put through the system at 100 Centre Street, if a marshal taped an eviction notice to your door in the Bronx, or if you got pulled over on the LIE — you need answers right now, not a web form and a callback. Our free 24/7 hotline connects you with an AI legal assistant trained on New York and federal law, from Brooklyn to Buffalo. It gives legal information, not advice. Need a lawyer? We can book you a paid consultation with a licensed NY attorney.

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Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across New York.

Need legal help in New York right now?

Call 1-844-690-0555 right now — it's free, it's open 24/7, and there's no income test. If a loved one was just arrested in New York City, they should be arraigned within about 24 hours (in Manhattan, at 100 Centre Street); they should say nothing to police beyond asking for a lawyer. If you got an eviction notice, do NOT move out — eviction in New York is a Housing Court process, and many NYC tenants now qualify for a free eviction lawyer. For a custody or order-of-protection emergency, Family Court is the venue (call 911 first if you're in danger). Our AI assistant walks you through what's happening in plain English (Spanish call path available) and lays out your options. If you need representation, we can book you a paid consultation with an independent, licensed New York attorney. Information, not advice.


Choose your area of law in New York


How it works

1
Call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour — 2am on a Sunday is fine. No web form, no income test, no waiting for a callback.
2
Talk it through with our AI legal assistant, trained on New York and federal law. You get clear legal information in plain English (Spanish call path available) — what's happening and what your options are. It's information, not legal advice.
3
If you need a lawyer, we can book you a paid consultation with an independent, licensed New York attorney.

The law in New York

New York's court names trip up even out-of-state lawyers, so it helps to get them straight when you're scared and searching. The whole system is the New York State Unified Court System. The everyday trial court of general jurisdiction is the New York Supreme Court — and no, that is NOT the highest court; it's the workhorse trial court with a branch in each of the state's 62 counties, handling major civil suits and, inside New York City, felonies (Criminal Term). The state's actual top court is the New York Court of Appeals in Albany, made up of a chief judge and six associate judges. Appeals in between go to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, split into four Judicial Departments.

What this means in practice depends on where you are. Inside the five boroughs, a misdemeanor arrest lands in New York City Criminal Court (arraignments at places like 100 Centre Street in Manhattan or 120 Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn), while felonies move up to Supreme Court. Outside the city, County Courts handle felonies, and you'll find City Courts and Town & Village ('justice') Courts for lesser matters. Family Court — in every county — handles custody, child support, abuse and neglect, juvenile cases, and orders of protection under the Family Court Act. In New York City, the Civil Court hears money claims up to $50,000, with a dedicated Housing Court for evictions and a Small Claims part up to $10,000.

The substantive law has a distinct New York character. Criminal cases run on the Penal Law and Criminal Procedure Law; divorce and custody on the Domestic Relations Law and Family Court Act; landlord-tenant on the Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law; driving offenses on the Vehicle and Traffic Law; and construction-injury cases on the Labor Law. One more thing matters for a service like ours: New York's Judiciary Law (§§478 and 484) makes the unauthorized practice of law a crime, and only an attorney admitted in New York can give you legal advice. That's exactly why our hotline gives legal information — how things generally work — and then, if you need someone in your corner, can connect you with a licensed New York attorney.

Court Hierarchy

  • Court of Appeals (highest, Albany — chief judge + 6 associates)
  • Appellate Division (4 Judicial Departments)
  • Supreme Court (general trial court, a branch in each of the 62 counties)
  • County / City / Criminal & Civil / Family / Surrogate's Courts
  • Town & Village 'justice' Courts (outside NYC)

Key Codes

  • Penal Law & Criminal Procedure Law (CPL)
  • Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR)
  • Domestic Relations Law & Family Court Act
  • Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL)
  • Labor Law §§240/241 ('Scaffold Law')
  • Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (RPAPL)

Key Bodies

  • NY State Unified Court System
  • NYS Bar Association & NYC Bar referral services
  • NYC Housing Court (Universal Access / Right to Counsel)
  • The Legal Aid Society & Legal Services NYC

The New York Doctrine That Could Save Your Home

If you're a tenant in New York City staring at an eviction notice, here's something most people don't know: NYC was the first city in America to guarantee tenants a lawyer in Housing Court. Under the Universal Access to Legal Services Law (the 'Right to Counsel'), income-eligible tenants facing nonpayment or holdover eviction get an attorney regardless of immigration status. The city has reported that about 84% of represented tenants were able to stay in their homes. So do NOT just pack up and leave because a notice scared you — eviction is a court process, and that notice is far more survivable than it looks. Call us first and we'll explain how Housing Court actually works, then point you to help. Information, not advice.


Free & low-cost legal help in New York

New York has some of the deepest free legal resources in the country — but they're often income-gated, open only during business hours, and badly over capacity, especially outside the five boroughs. Our hotline fills the gap: free, 24/7, no income test, answering the phone at 2am when nobody else does. When your matter calls for ongoing representation or you may qualify for free civil aid, these are established New York organizations worth knowing. Use our line to understand your situation right now, then turn to these for longer-term help.

Statewide free directory and self-help portal — find free legal help by ZIP code and problem (housing, family, debt, work, immigration, benefits). A solid first stop for self-represented New Yorkers.
One of the country's largest legal-aid providers — free criminal defense, housing, family, and immigration help across all five boroughs.
Free civil legal help (eviction, benefits, family, immigration, consumer) with neighborhood offices across the five boroughs.
Free civil legal services and financial counseling for low-income New Yorkers — consumer debt, housing, immigration, benefits, special education, and more.
Free civil legal aid across many upstate and western New York counties, including the Rochester region and the Southern Tier.
Free civil legal services for the Albany / Capital Region and the North Country of upstate New York.
The official state court self-help portal — DIY court forms, plain-language guides, and CourtHelp Centers for people without lawyers.
The State Bar's official referral line. Referral is free; an initial 30-minute consultation is $35 (waived for some case types). Statewide: 1-800-342-3661.
The New York City Bar's referral service for the five boroughs, with English and Spanish intake lines.

Legal Hotline covers all of New York

Wherever you are in New York, the line is free and answered 24/7 — including:

New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island)BuffaloRochesterYonkersSyracuseAlbanyLong Island (Nassau & Suffolk)White Plains / WestchesterUticaBinghamton

Frequently asked questions — New York

Someone I love was just arrested in New York City. What do I do right now?

First, call us at 1-844-690-0555 — we're free and open at any hour. Then know this: in NYC, a person should be arraigned within about 24 hours of arrest. In Manhattan that happens at the Criminal Courthouse at 100 Centre Street; in Brooklyn at 120 Schermerhorn Street; in Queens at the courthouse in Kew Gardens. They should say nothing to police beyond asking for a lawyer. Misdemeanors are handled in NYC Criminal Court and felonies in Supreme Court (Criminal Term). We'll explain how arraignment generally works under the Criminal Procedure Law, then book a New York defense attorney if you need one. This is information, not advice.

I got an eviction notice. Do I have to move out?

No — do not move out just because a notice frightened you. Eviction in New York is a court process under the Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law, and the state leans tenant-protective, with a dedicated Housing Court, rent stabilization, and, in New York City, a first-in-the-nation Right to Counsel that gives many income-eligible tenants a free eviction lawyer regardless of immigration status. The city has reported that about 84% of represented NYC tenants were able to stay in their homes. Call 1-844-690-0555 and we'll explain what your notice means and what happens next, in plain English (Spanish call path available), then point you toward help. Information, not advice.

Is the call really free, and is this legal advice?

The phone call is completely free, 24/7, with no income test — call 1-844-690-0555 anytime. What you get on the call is legal information, not legal advice: our AI assistant, trained on New York and federal law, explains how things generally work ('here's how arraignment usually goes,' 'here's what Housing Court does'). Under New York's Judiciary Law, only an attorney admitted in New York can give advice on your specific matter — unauthorized practice is actually a crime here. So if you need someone to represent you, we can book a paid consultation with an independent, licensed New York attorney. We're a service that helps you get to a lawyer, not a law firm.

Can I get help in Spanish?

Yes. New York is one of the most multilingual places in the country — roughly 30% of New Yorkers speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish by far the largest, and Queens alone has well over 130 languages spoken. Our hotline supports a Spanish call path so you can talk through your situation comfortably. Llámanos al 1-844-690-0555 — es gratis, 24 horas. We'll give you clear legal information about your New York matter and, if you need representation, can book a paid consultation with a licensed New York attorney. Información, no asesoría legal.

I got a DWI on the Long Island Expressway. What happens now?

A New York DWI hits you on several fronts at once under the Vehicle and Traffic Law — a criminal charge, a likely license suspension at arraignment, and a separate DMV track. Refusing a chemical test triggers its own license revocation and DMV refusal hearing, even if the criminal charge is later reduced. Where your case is heard depends on where you were stopped: NYC Criminal Court, a District Court on Long Island (Nassau or Suffolk), a City Court, or a Town or Village justice court upstate. Don't guess — call 1-844-690-0555 first. We'll explain the process in plain English and can book a New York DWI attorney if you want representation. This is information, not advice.

Why should I call you instead of a free legal-aid line?

Use both — but timing matters. New York's free legal-aid organizations are excellent, yet they're typically income-gated, open only during business hours, and chronically over capacity, and outside the five boroughs they can be genuinely scarce. Directory sites often make you fill out a form and wait for a callback. We answer the phone right now, free, with no income test — at 2am, on a weekend, mid-panic. Call 1-844-690-0555 to understand your situation immediately, then turn to LawHelpNY, the Legal Aid Society, or our attorney booking for next steps. We're the bridge between 'I'm scared' and 'I have a plan.' Information, not advice.

I was hurt in a construction accident. Is New York different?

Very. New York's Labor Law §240(1) — the famous 'Scaffold Law' — is unusual: for gravity-related construction injuries like falls from heights or being struck by falling objects, it can impose near-absolute liability on owners and general contractors, and a worker's own comparative negligence generally isn't a defense once a violation is shown to have caused the injury. That makes New York construction-accident cases distinctively strong for injured workers. Call 1-844-690-0555 and we'll explain how the Scaffold Law and your injury claim generally work, then book a paid consultation with a licensed New York personal-injury attorney if you want one. We give legal information, not legal advice.

How do you choose the attorney you book me with?

Transparently and by neutral methods — we do not analyze the merits of your specific legal issue to pick a particular lawyer, and we don't rate, rank, or vouch for any attorney's quality. That's consistent with how a referral arrangement is supposed to work under New York's attorney rules, and it protects you. The booking is a paid consultation with an independent, licensed New York attorney; you are that lawyer's client, not ours. We never promise an outcome, and we don't invent reviews or results. Start with the free call at 1-844-690-0555, and if you want representation we'll arrange the consultation. Information, not advice.

I have a custody or order-of-protection emergency. Where do I turn?

Family Court is your venue — it exists in every New York county and handles custody, child support, abuse and neglect, and orders of protection under the Family Court Act. If you're in immediate danger, call 911 first. Then call us at 1-844-690-0555, any hour, and we'll explain how Family Court generally works and what an order of protection involves, in plain English (Spanish call path available). New York's no-fault divorce, by the way, needs only a sworn statement that the marriage has broken down irretrievably for at least six months. If you need representation, we can book a paid consultation with a licensed New York family-law attorney. Information, not advice.

Does calling create an attorney-client relationship?

No. Legal Hotline is not a law firm, and calling or using the service does not create an attorney-client relationship. Our AI assistant gives legal information about how New York and federal law generally work — not advice tailored to your specific case, which under New York's Judiciary Law only a licensed New York attorney can provide. If you decide you want representation, the consultation we book is a separate paid service with an independent, licensed New York lawyer, and the attorney-client relationship forms with that lawyer. Call 1-844-690-0555 anytime to get clear information and your options first.


New York Attorneys: Join Our Referral Network

Licensed in New York and want motivated clients from Manhattan to Buffalo — including the underserved upstate and Long Island markets? We connect callers who need representation with independent NY attorneys, consistent with New York's referral and advertising rules. Get in touch to join.

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Reviewed by the Legal Hotline Editorial Team.

General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.

Don't Wait Until Morning — Call New York's Free Legal Hotline Now

Whether it's an arrest at 100 Centre Street, an eviction notice in Queens, a DWI on the Thruway, or a custody crisis in the Bronx, you don't have to face it alone or in the dark. Call 1-844-690-0555 right now — free, 24/7, no income test, Spanish call path available. Get clear legal information about your New York situation, and if you need a lawyer, we can book you a paid consultation with a licensed New York attorney. Information, not advice — but exactly the orientation you need tonight.

Free legal information. Not legal advice.

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