Embedded Files
Jail & Prison Services cannot provide legal advice, but we regularly receive letters from people asking for such. The following is a list of helpful resources, along with contact information to useful organizations.
A handbook of legal rights and procedures designed for use by people in prison published by the Columbia University Human Rights Law Review. It includes chapters on how to find a lawyer, how to follow grievance procedures in prison, and more. Chapter 14, in particular, goes over the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), which is important for someone who is currently incarcerated to be aware of before filing a lawsuit. A free version is available online.
ACLU’s Prison Litigation Reform Act Fact Sheet
The ACLU’s fact sheet is also a very helpful resource, breaking down the PLRA in a clear and understandable way.
The website includes links to free legal resources for those who are low-income, searchable by state. This can be especially helpful when we receive letters from incarcerated people in other state prison systems.
A nonprofit organization that provides free legal information and advice about New York State family law and Family Court, including issues of child support, custody, and visitation. The website provides multilingual legal resource guides on topics including child support, custody, visitation, service, how to start a court case, and more. Does not provide full legal representation. Accepts collect calls and requests for information by mail from incarcerated parents.
Prisoners' Legal Services of New York (PLSNY)
A non-profit organization that provides provides free civil legal services to incarcerated people in NYS DOCCS prisons, with regional offices in Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, and Newburgh. Handles cases involving mental health and medical care, discrimination, prison disciplinary matters, excessive use of force, conditions of confinement, sentence calculation, jail time credit, immigration, and clemency appeals. Please note that they do not handle criminal cases or appeals.
Legal Aid has Criminal, Civil, Juvenile, and Pro Bono practices. Offers free legal counsel and advice to NYC residents who cannot afford a private lawyer. Contact information by borough and practice can be found here.
Legal Aid Society Headquarters
199 Water Street, New York, NY 10038
Telephone: 212.577.3300
Provides free legal services for people living in New York who have had interactions with the criminal legal system, have drug or alcohol addiction or other substance use disorders, and/or are living with HIV or AIDS. The Legal Help page outlines exactly what services are provided and can be used to determine whether or not they would be a good referral for an incarcerated individual.
New York Office
39 Broadway, 26th floor New York, NY 10006
Telephone: 212.243.1313
Washington DC Office
50 F Street NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20001
Telephone: 202.544.5478
DNA in Court Cases
DNA in Court Cases
An excellent source of information for requests for cases in which DNA evidence was used to exonerate the wrongfully convicted. They have also compiled a more comprehensive list of Research Resources relevant to this topic.
Self Representation, ie. Pro Se
Self Representation, ie. Pro Se
We also get questions about how to represent oneself in court, i.e. pro se. We cannot offer any advice on pro se litigation, however, there are many resources available that we can provide to people.
United States District Court, Southern District of New York
Maintains a website with instructions for pro se litigants, with a disclaimer that the information provided is not a substitute for an attorney's advice. Information on what it means to represent pro se, which forms to use, how to submit them, and more is available.
United States District Court of the Southern District of New York – Pro Se Intake Unit
Daniel Patrick Moynihan, United States Courthouse
500 Pearl Street, Room 230, New York, New York 10007
Federal Pro Se Legal Assistance Project run by the City Bar Justice Center
Provides free, limited-scope legal services to pro se litigants (plaintiffs or defendants) with cases in the US District Courts for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) and the Southern District of New York (SDNY) who cannot afford to hire an attorney.
Services include brief legal counseling, advising litigants about whether they should file a federal lawsuit, interpreting and explaining federal law and procedure, and reviewing draft pleadings and correspondence with the Court. Litigants in need of legal assistance should complete the City Bar Justice Center’s intake form to make an appointment. If a litigant has questions about the intake form or needs to highlight an urgent deadline already disclosed in the form, the clinic can be contacted by phone at 212.382.4794.
Post-Conviction Relief
Post-Conviction Relief
New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services—Appellate Resources
Provides a list of links to information that may be helpful to people who are working on an appeal. Also includes a Post-Conviction Litigation Resources page with a 16-page Statutory Overview of CPL 440.10 and 440.20. Please note, ILS does not provide legal representation.
The JLM has a section, a total of three chapters, about this topic: Section VI: How to Attack Your Conviction, Sentence, or Prison Conditions at the State Level.
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