Legal Aid in the Bronx: Services Provided
The Bronx is home to a number of legal aid organizations dedicated to providing access to justice for vulnerable populations. These groups focus on a wide array of legal issues commonly faced by low-income families and individuals. The Bronx Defenders, headed by the Bronx Defenders founders, Steven Banks and Robin Steinberg, is a primary player in the legal aid landscape. They provide free legal defense for those who are accused of committing a crime in the Bronx. While the Bronx Defenders specialize in criminal cases, other areas of legal aid in the Bronx include civil matters, such as immigration services and housing issues. The Bronx Family Justice Center and the Bronx Family Court are two organizations committed to addressing the legal needs of victims of domestic violence and child support issues. A valuable resource is the City Bar Justice Center (CBJC) , which helps New Yorkers with a wide range of civil legal issues, including elder law, family, health care, immigration, and public benefits issues. The CBJC serves individuals of all ages and represents clients in both English and Spanish. Legal Aid Society and Legal Services NYC are other organizations that provide legal aid services in the Bronx. In addition to lawyers employed by these groups, many attorneys who work independently provide pro bono services for clients who cannot afford to retain a private attorney. Volunteer lawyers are especially important to help address the high volume of legal needs for underrepresented populations such as children in the foster care system.
Eligibility Requirements for Bronx Legal Aid
Legal aid services are generally available to the following parties in the New York City area: (1) individuals with financial incomes (and assets) within certain limits; (2) individuals (including children) who have particular HIV/AIDS needs, are homebound and need legal assistance; and (3) those with disabilities in need of civil legal services. The relevant eligibility standards for the Bronx are as follows.
In the Bronx, the maximum income levels for legal aid services are: one person, $22,400; two, $30,200; three, $37,850; four, $43,150; five, $49,200; six, $55,200; seven, $61,300; eight, $67,300. For eight or greater persons, the legal aid maximum income is $73,300.
To be eligible for legal aid in the Bronx, individuals must have combined household assets of $7,000 or less. This does not include the cash value of an individual’s primary home, certain pensions, funds in certain retirement accounts or vehicles.
Other eligibility requirements include:
In addition, the following criteria must be satisfied. Individuals must have a sufficient "legal issue" that legal aid can help resolve. If there are too many legal issues that legal aid would have to handle, or if the parties have a prior relationship with each other, then legal aid may not provide services. In terms of convictions, with respect to crimes like murder, rape, sexual abuse, aggravated assault, or drug trafficking and sales, legal aid would not likely provide services. Legal aid would also not be available in divorce cases unless the parties have minor children and only where marital assets do not exceed $25,000.
Selecting a Legal Aid Attorney
When it comes down to the choice of a Bronx legal aid attorney there are several factors you should consider before making your final selection. The last thing that you want to happen is to choose the wrong lawyer for your needs. Not only will you have to start the process over from square one, but not all legal aid lawyers have the same level of experience in particular types of law. If your attorney doesn’t have much experience in the type of case you have, they may not be able to help you. If you don’t have any experience in finding a lawyer, but you need a legal aid attorney, then you definitely need to know what to look for in an attorney.
First, when selecting the right Bronx legal aid attorney for your case you need to consider the level of experience of the attorney. How long have they been in business? What type of cases have they handled in the past? And how successful were they? You must ask these questions of any legal aid attorney that you are thinking about working with.
Secondly, you must ask to see a professional reference. Have they worked on a similar case before? Were they successful in that case? This reference will give you an idea as to the type of representation you can expect from this particular lawyer. You need someone who has experience in handling your specific type of case. Otherwise, you could end up with the wrong attorney.
Finally, consider the reviews that previous clients have left for the attorney that you are considering. Were they overwhelmingly positive or overwhelmingly negative? Was the majority opinion that they were either very satisfied with the service or very dissatisfied? Generally speaking you can tell how previous clients were treated by the legal aid attorney from the reviews of previous clients. A satisfied client will generally leave a review explaining what type of service they received. If they were happy with the service, then you can be sure you have selected the right attorney.
Common Legal Matters Handled By Bronx Legal Aid Attorneys
Bronx legal aid attorneys provide client-centered legal services to low-income New Yorkers, ensuring that they can have equal access to justice. These lawyers work in numerous areas of the law, helping their clients navigate complex legal issues. Some of the most common types of legal issues that are addressed by Bronx legal aid attorneys in their capacities include:
Criminal Defense
While many criminal defendants are not eligible for courts subsidized legal services, Bronx legal aid lawyers do have the option of representing those facing criminal charges without sufficient resources, or accepting pro bono cases. Helping defendants avoid incarceration or hefty fines, these lawyers provide free legal services to those involved in misdemeanor or felony criminal cases.
Housing and Foreclosure
Housing rights are vital to maintaining a community of low-income residents. As such, the Bronx legal aid attorneys who work as foreclosure defense lawyers provide essential legal services to people facing eviction. Representing plaintiffs and defendants, these specialized lawyers handle housing cases involving the New York City Housing Authority, ownership issues, slum landlords, and more.
Family Law
Bronx legal aid attorneys who handle family law matters represent clients in divorce and related issues like child custody, spousal support, asset distribution, and more. They help to protect the rights of people who might otherwise end up losing their homes or their custody of their children due to isolation or lack of resources.
Immigration
Many clients of Bronx legal aid attorneys need help with immigration issues. Legal aid attorneys advocate for the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers on behalf of several agencies throughout The Bronx. Understanding the challenges that immigrants face in this neighborhood, these lawyers provide services like asylum claims, green cards, and visa applications and renewals.
Consumer Protection
Legal aid attorneys also handle consumer protection issues. The areas of consumer law that Bronx legal aid attorneys assist in provide hands-on experience to law students through their clinics. Areas of law within the field of consumer protection handled by these attorneys include consumer credit, false advertising, credit reporting, debt collection, bankruptcy and foreclosure, unfair and deceptive practices, identity theft, and abuse of power in the marketplace.
Personal Injury
Because personal injury cases can vary greatly in scope and complexity, Bronx legal aid attorneys offer additional options to people who suffer from wrongful economic harm. They advise and assess cases involving everything from slips and falls and auto-incidents to abuse and neglect in institutions. However, their caseloads may prevent them from taking on high-profile cases or particularly high-value awards.
Advantages of Legal Aid Representation
Although the legal aid process may take a little more time than if a person just picked a random attorney, the benefits can be enormous. Since legal aid attorneys have caseloads in the hundreds or thousands, New York Bronx law firms offering legal aid help to more people than typically would be able to afford an attorney. Even when a person has a good deal of money to spend, it can be difficult to find a legal professional with a wealth of experience in the field to handle the case. Legal aid helps people who would otherwise be unlikely to afford an attorney to have access to skilled legal professionals who will know precisely how to win the case.
When a person is hiring an attorney, they are also looking for someone who is highly qualified . While it is important that a legal professional have an impressive education and an extensive background in a number of areas in the law, it is of equal importance that the attorney have good skills in the courtroom. It is one thing to have a degree in criminal law, for example; it is another thing altogether for the attorney to have years of experience actually handling criminal cases in court. Since this legal aid attorney is brought on board due to their wealth of experience, they can be impart an important degree of help. This assistance can be lengthy in the sense that the legal professional conducts research, interviews witnesses and collects evidence as is typical in the legal profession. It can also be a matter of a short time in that the legal aid attorney actually goes into court and handles the case themselves.
Issues Faced By Legal Aid Attorneys in the Bronx
While the services provided by legal aid attorneys can have life-altering implications for their clients, such lawyers are often faced with challenges caused by funding and time. A 2012 report by the Committee on Civil Courts in New York found that only 12 percent of defendants in Bronx civil cases are represented by attorneys, and that even fewer plaintiffs have counsel. Those numbers have likely decreased even further in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on funding. The Bronx Legal Services office is presently only able to offer assistance on issues related to family law, housing, and government benefits, while other offices closed before 2020. Attorneys at Bronx Legal Services recently filed a lawsuit alleging that the scattered resources led to 17,500 people representing themselves in eviction proceedings in the Bronx. Furthermore, there are concerns that surveillance of tenants and contractors at the Bronx Family Courthouse captures attorney-client conversations, which could potentially undermine the attorneys’ abilities to effectively defend their clients and provide valuable advice. The legal profession is a difficult one anywhere in the world. Legal aid attorneys, however, are tasked with working in a high stress environment, often on life-changing cases, despite being disabled by limitations such as funding cuts and lack of resources. Because of the intense nature of this work, legal aid attorneys typically have no other option but to leave the field after a few short years, which can create a crisis of competency within legal aid in the borough.
Ways to Assist Legal Aid Services in the Bronx
Supporting legal aid services in the Bronx can make a significant difference for those in need. Individuals and organizations can contribute in several ways. Donations are critical for legal aid organizations to continue providing their vital services. These contributions can be monetary, or they may include office supplies, software, or other tools necessary for the smooth operation of their services. Donors are often recognized on the organization’s website or through promotional materials, a great way to acknowledge their support.
Volunteering is another avenue for supporting legal aid services. Many organizations welcome individuals willing to provide clerical support, participate in fundraising events, or even offer professional services such as pro bono legal work . The time and expertise of volunteers can keep costs down, allowing organizations to focus their resources on helping as many clients as possible.
Advocacy is also an essential aspect of supporting legal aid. Individuals and organizations can lobby for increased funding for legal aid services, either at the local or state level. Many legal aid organizations provide training sessions or advocacy guides to help supporters effectively communicate the importance of these services to lawmakers.
Combining these efforts can exponentially increase the impact of your support. For example, hosting an awareness-raising event in the community can improve visibility while also collecting donations or recruiting volunteers. Each action contributes to the welfare of the vulnerable population served by these organizations, helping them access essential services.