New York State Courts Access to Justice Program

Coronavirus Update

Find free LEGAL ASSISTANCE during the Coronavirus crisis by phone and online

New and easy to follow instructions for making phone and video court appearances are here:
Virtual Court Appearances for the Public

Our Mission

To ensure access to justice in all NY State Courts for people of all backgrounds, incomes, and special needs, by using every resource, including pro bono programs, self-help services, and technological tools, and by securing stable and adequate non-profit and government funding for civil and criminal legal services programs.

Law Day Report

Law Day, celebrated every year on the first of May, offers us the opportunity to celebrate the role of law in our society in protecting our liberties and pursuing justice. In celebration of Law Day, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives Hon. Edwina G. Mendelson and the Office for Justice Initiatives (OJI) are issuing the attached inaugural Law Day Report. This report, the first in a series of planned annual issues, reflects this year’s Law Day theme of “Advancing the Rule of Law Now” and the Office for Justice Initiatives’ mission to ensure meaningful access to justice for all those who pass through the doors of every New York State courthouse. The report is principally comprised of two sections: “The Landscape of Office for Justice Initiatives Programs,” detailing the existing programs and projects of the OJI as they have operated over the past several years, and “Reimagining Justice,” describing those programs and initiatives that have been developed over the unprecedented events of the past year, or are scheduled for release in the near future.

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