Updated May 12, 2020

While the Union building is closed, the Legal Services Plan continues to support members and retirees during the health crisis by working remotely.

Members in need of assistance can contact the Legal Services Plan by leaving a detailed message at (212) 924-2000 or by e-mail at one of the e-mail addresses listed for Legal Services Plan attorneys. If you already have an assigned attorney working for you, please contact them directly.

If you have a scheduled intake, your assigned attorney will conduct the intake with you at the scheduled time over the phone.  Do not go to the Union building.  

COURT UPDATES
Please review the following information regarding updated court operations in NYC and the surrounding counties. This information will be updated continuously as new information comes in.

All New York Courts are still closed for filing of new cases, with few exceptions.  Only Court deemed essential matters were being heard, however, the Courts have started conferencing some pending cases and since May 4, 2020, the Court has allowed the filing of some motions on pending matters.

All Court conferences are being done by Skype for Business or by telephone.

HOUSING COURTS AND CIVIL COURTS:
All evictions are now suspended through at least August 20, 2020.  Landlords may not charge late fees through August 20, 2020.

The Court will allow emergency filings for illegal lock-outs, harassment and emergency repair orders.

The Court is now allowing the filing of motions in existing cases.

Civil Court Consumer Cases:

• The Court is scheduling remote conferences on some existing scheduled court proceedings.
• For consumer cases, emergency applications to vacate a judgment, stop a wage garnishment or a frozen bank account will be heard by the court.
• Contact the Legal Services Plan if you are facing one of these emergencies.
• The Civil Court is not accepting any non-emergency papers for filing, except for motions in existing cases.

FAMILY COURT:

• In Family Court, petitions for modification of child support are being accepted where a change is income has occurred DIRECTLY related to COVID-19.  No other petitions for modification are currently being accepted.
• Emergency family offense petitions, Writ applications where there is an existing order of custody or visitation, and Child Protective intake cases involving removal applications are allowed.
• All existing Court Orders are still valid.  For Visitation one should contemplate the overarching public health crisis and attempt to work with the other parent to protect the health of everyone.

Supreme Court (Divorce, Foreclosure)

• Governor Cuomo extended his order suspending all foreclosures to August 20, 2020.  
• Supreme Court is not accepting any non-emergency papers for filing. This includes new divorce filings.  The Courts are scheduling remote conferences in pending divorce actions.
• Emergency applications in guardianship matters
• Temporary orders of protection (including but not limited to matters involving domestic violence)
• Emergency applications related to the coronavirus
• Emergency Election Law applications
• Extreme risk protection orders (ERPO)
  
  

Federal Court (Bankruptcy)

• Bankruptcy filings are allowed and Chapter 7, 12, and 13 section 341 meetings are being heard remotely.  This applies to both the Eastern District of New York and Southern District of New York.

Additional Resources:

• Utility Shut-Offs: All utility companies have temporarily suspended gas, electric, and water shut-offs until further notice.
• Student, Medical, and Other State-Referred Debt: The New York Office of Attorney General (OAG) will halt the collection of medical and student debt owed to the State of New York and referred to the OAG for collection from March 16, 2020 through April 15, 2020. There is an automatic payment suspension for student loans held by the federal government  The suspension ends 9/30.
• For Court Updates for Covered Counties Outside of NYC:
  o   Nassau
  o   Orange, Putnam, Rockland, & Westchester
  o   Suffolk