Divorce Resources
(Separate Website)
This site provides information on obtaining a divorce in New York State. Here you will find general information and free divorce forms with instructions.
By: New York State Unified Court System
For order of protection forms and information, click here
(Separate Website)
PLEASE NOTE: You may want to speak with a lawyer before you file for an order of protection.
INTERACTIVE FORM: Online Name Change Program (Outside NYC)
(Separate Website)
The adult name change form is used to ask the NY State Supreme Court to change your name.
This program will help you create the petition. You can use this program if:
You are 18 years old or older and
You are not in prison, on probation or on parole
INTERACTIVE FORM: Online Support Modification Program
(Separate Website)
You can use the Support Modification Petition to ask (or "petition") the Family Court to change a support order if there is a "change in circumstances." This program will help you fill out the petition that you will need to file in Family Court.
By: New York State Unified Court System
INTERACTIVE FORM: Family Court Support Enforcement/Violation Petition
(Separate Website)
You can use the Support Enforcement/Violation Petition, if the support order is not being followed. This free program will help you fill out the petition that you will need to file in Family Court.
You can use this program:
- If you already have a support order signed by a judge.
- If you are the one who receives the support payment.
- If no person on the support order gets public assistance.
By: New York State Unified Court System
INTERACTIVE FORM: Family Court Paternity Petition Program
(Separate Website)
Paternity means fatherhood. You can use this free program to write a paternity petition. After you file the petition, there will be a hearing in Family Court to decide who is the child's biological father.
By: New York State Unified Court System
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Sample Cease Letter
(Separate Website)
Are debt collectors constantly calling you? Do you feel harassed by these calls? You can stop debt collection calls by sending a "cease letter" to the debt collector stating that you want them to stop contacting you. Here is an easy-to-use sample letter that you can type into directly or that you can print and fill out by hand.
By: Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project
INTERACTIVE FORM: Collection Agency "Stop Contact" Letter
(Separate Website)
The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act gives you the right to send a letter to a collection agency telling them to stop contacting you. The letter can also point out billing mistakes and request verification of the debt (such as a copy of the contract that you signed). You can write a "stop contact" letter now using this interactive form.
By: Legal Aid Network of Kentucky
Information on Answering a Notice of Petition and Petition (Eviction/Dispossess Papers for Non-Payment of Rent)
(Separate Website)
If you are in court for a "Non-Payment" case, because the Landlord claims you owe rent, you have the right to tell the Court the reason(s) why the rent may not be owed. Here are some reasons, called defenses, which the
Court can consider in deciding how much rent you may owe to your Landlord.
By: New York State Unified Court System
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
FAIR HEARING REQUEST FORM
(Separate Website)
This form can be used to request a Fair Hearing. You have a right to request a Fair Hearing to challenge virtually any action (or lack of action) that the Social Services agency takes on your request for benefits (welfare, food stamps, HEAP, child care, Medicaid, and other programs). You also have a right to request a Fair Hearing if Social Services makes a change to benefits that you already get, and you disagree with that change.
By: The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
Printable Form for Requesting a Fair Hearing Adjournment/Reopening
(Separate Website)
Print, complete, fax or mail this form to request an adjournment/reopening of your fair hearing
By: New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
Request an Adjournment or Reopening
(Separate Website)
If you are unable to attend your scheduled hearing and your hearing date hasn't passed yet, you may request a new hearing date. Click on this link for information on how to request an adjournment
By: New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
Request Compliance With a Fair Hearing Decision
(Separate Website)
If you have received a fair hearing decision that says that your local agency should do something and you believe that they haven't done it, you may submit a Compliance Complaint to us.
By: New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
FORM - Request for Compliance
(Separate Website)
You can use this form if you feel that the local social service agency has not followed your Fair Hearing Decision
By: New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
ONLINE FORM: Appeal a disability decision online
(Separate Website)
If your Social Security Disability application has been denied, click here to appeal the decision online.
By: Social Security Administration
INTERACTIVE FORM: Online Small Estate Affidavit Program
This interactive interview will help you fill out an Affidavit of Voluntary Administration. You can use this form to divide the property of someone who died. You can only use this form if the person who died had less than $30,000 worth of property.
By: Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® - Geneva Office
Other Formats:
Separate Website
Power of Attorney: New York Statutory Short Form Your Power of Attorney is an important document. As the "principal," you give the person whom you choose (your "agent") authority to spend your money and sell or dispose of your property during your lifetime without telling you.
By: City Bar Justice Center - Elderlaw Project
Power of Attorney: New York Statutory Gifts Rider - Authorization for Certain Gift Transactions This OPTIONAL rider allows you to authorize your agent to make gifts in excess of an annual total of $500 for all gifts described in (I) of the Grant of Authority section of the statutory short form Power of Attorney (under personal and family maintenance), or certain other gift transactions during your lifetime.
By: City Bar Justice Center - Elderlaw Project
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