New York
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in New York — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in New York
New York's courts run a do-it-yourself uncontested divorce program that prepares your papers through an online interview. Start with the court's program page before anything else.
NY Courts — Uncontested Divorce Program
The official starting point: a guided online interview that prepares your uncontested divorce papers.
nycourts.gov — uncontested divorce →Find a divorce lawyer
NYS Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service
The New York State Bar Association's referral service. Call 1-800-342-3661.
nysba.org — lawyer referral →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
LawHelpNY
New York's statewide free legal information site, with guides and a legal-aid finder.
lawhelpny.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment at 1-800-342-3720 — 24/7, every day of the year.
NY Homeowner Protection Program
Free housing counselors and legal services statewide for homeowners facing foreclosure. Call (855) 466-3456.
dfs.ny.gov — help for homeowners →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Unpaid wages in New York
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in New York.
Where to go
New York State Department of Labor, Division of Labor Standards
Time limit to file
6 years
What the floor is
$17.00 NYC/Long Island/Westchester, $16.00 rest of state (2026)
Changing your name in New York
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in New York.
How it works
petition the supreme court in your county (NYC Civil Court in NYC)
Typical court fee
~$210
Newspaper notice required?
no (requirement repealed Dec 2021)
Small claims court in New York
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in New York.
Maximum claim
$10,000 (NYC); $5,000 city/district courts; $3,000 town/village courts
Filing fee
$15–$20 depending on claim size
Can you bring one?
yes — allowed, not required
Clearing your criminal record in New York
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where New York stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — Clean Slate automatic sealing (no true expungement except some cannabis cases)
What qualifies
most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies; arrests that did not lead to conviction are sealed
Waiting period
3 years for misdemeanors, 8 years for felonies (automatic sealing)
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in New York →
Child support in New York
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in New York.
How it's figured
income shares (CSSA percentage applied to combined income) Child Support Standards Act (CSSA); worksheet and calculator on NY courts site
When it ends
age 21
Lemon law in New York
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? New York's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new and leased vehicles; used cars under separate used-car lemon law
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts or 30+ days out of service within 2 years/18,000 miles
What you get
refund or replacement vehicle
Tenant rights in New York
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in New York.
Notice before eviction
14-day written rent demand for nonpayment; 30/60/90 days to end tenancy depending on length of occupancy
Deposit limits & return
Max 1 month's rent; return within 14 days of move-out, written itemized deduction list required
When the landlord won't fix things
No general repair-and-deduct; tenants may sue in housing court (HP action) to compel repairs
DUI / DWI in New York
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how New York handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; aggravated DWI at 0.18
Typical penalties
$500-$1,000 fine; up to 1 year jail; license revocation at least 6 months
How far back DUIs count
10 years
Gun laws in New York
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permit required; shall-issue since Bruen (2022); minimum age 21
Carrying openly
Handguns prohibited; long guns generally allowed
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Universal background checks required (through a licensed dealer; immediate-family exemption) No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
Yes. Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Does not honor any out-of-state concealed carry permits.
Filming the police: your rights in New York
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (N.Y. Penal Law §§ 250.00, 250.05)
No buffer-zone law
New York has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
New York's Right to Record Act (Civil Rights Law § 79-p, 2020) lets people sue if officials interfere with recording police activity. The 2nd Circuit (Massimino v. Benoit, 2026) recognized a clearly established First Amendment right to record police in public going forward. The NY Court of Appeals (Reyes, 2026) held there is no right to film inside police station lobbies, and an NYPD policy banning it stands.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in New York
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in New York
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in New York
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in New York
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in New York
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →