Services.

Our experienced attorneys specialize in the areas of civil law that most often impact the low-income, senior, and disabled community. If you need help with any of the legal problems listed on this page, or if you would like to learn more about our services, please call our office to see how we can help you.

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Housing Law

The Housing Law Unit provides legal representation and advice to clients seeking to prevent evictions, foreclosures, and elimination of housing benefits.

We offer assistance in the following types of housing law matters:

• Evictions
• Illegal lockouts
• Utility shutoffs by landlords
• Rental assistance programs
• Public housing
• Foreclosures
• Displacements due to fire, flood, or municipal action
• Other housing matters

Public Benefits

The Public Benefits Law Unit helps individuals and families who need assistance in obtaining or maintaining public benefits to keep themselves and their families financially secure.  If your benefits have been denied, terminated, or suspended, or if you have received a notice of an overpayment, an experienced NNJLS attorney can provide you with advice and representation in the matter. 

We offer assistance in the following types of public benefits matters:​

• TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
• GA (General Assistance)
• EA (Emergency Assistance) including TRA (Temporary Rental Assistance)
• SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
• NJ SNAP (Food Stamps)
• UIB (Unemployment Insurance Benefits)
• TDI (Temporary Disability Insurance)
• Medicaid and NJ Family Care

Family Law

The Family Law Unit assists those who have significant family law issues affecting the safety and stability of the family.

We offer assistance in the following types of family law matters:

• Domestic Violence - Read more about our domestic violence services.
• Custody
• Child Support
• Spousal Support / Alimony
• Parenting Time / Visitation
• Uncontested Divorce – Assistance is available through NNJLS’s pro se clinics in English and Spanish.

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Domestic Violence

NOTE: If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or the police.

Northeast New Jersey Legal Services helps survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault obtain restraining orders and other relief to keep them and their families safe and secure from the threat of future violence.
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​We offer assistance in the following types of domestic violence and sexual assault law matters:

• Final Restraining Order (DV) or Final Protection Order (SA)
• Ancillary relief such as custody, support, and possession of a residence       
• Other civil legal matters that result from victimization, such as housing, immigration, and federal tax issues                                           
• Referral to partner agencies for counseling and safety planning
• Assistance with New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation claims
• Presentations to organizations seeking information regarding domestic violence and sexual assault

Consumer Rights

NNJLS’s Consumer Law Unit helps people who have financial problems arising from transactions with creditors or lenders. Many of our clients are victims of consumer fraud or identity theft. Others have problems with credit cards or other loans, repossessed automobiles, or unpaid medical bills. Often, these legal problems arise when an individual suffers the loss of income due to unemployment or disability.
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We offer assistance in the following types of consumer law matters:​

• Problems with unscrupulous creditors or lenders
• Consumer fraud
• Identity theft (re: credit)
• Credit card or other loan problems
• Repossessed automobiles
• Unpaid medical bills
• Protecting social security and unemployment benefits from wrongful seizure by creditors
• Fair debt collection
• Fair credit reporting
• Bankruptcy

Seniors

NNJLS’s Senior Law Project provides free legal assistance in civil matters to residents of Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties who are age sixty (60) and older.
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We offer assistance in the following types of senior law matters:​

• Reduction or termination of public benefits including
  • Social Security
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Medicare
  • Medicaid
  • NJ Family Care
  • General Assistance (GA)
  • Food Stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-SNAP)
  • Prescription Assistance
• Evictions/Lock Outs
• Rental Assistance
• Public Housing
• Other Landlord/Tenant Matters
• Foreclosures
• Domestic Violence
• Other Family Law Matters
• Debt Collection
• Unfair Deceptive Practices
• Credit Issues
• Bankruptcy
• Future Planning
  • Simple Wills​
  • Financial Powers of Attorney
  • Medical Decision Powers of Attorney/Living Will Declarations

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Veterans

The Veterans Assistance Project was established to address the legal needs of low-income and homeless veterans and their families in the NNJLS service area.
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We offer assistance in the following types of veteran law matters:

• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Determinations to Deny Service-Connected Disability Benefits
• VA  Determinations To Award Partial Service-Connected Disability Benefits
• Veterans and Eligible Family Members Seeking Military Pension Benefits For Non-Service Connected Disabilities
• VA  Medical Benefits
• Denial of Social Security/Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability Benefits
• Temporary Assistance For Needy Families (TANF)
• General Assistance (GA)
• Food Stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-SNAP)
• Medicare/Medicaid/NJ Family Care
• Other Public Benefits
• Evictions/Lock Outs
• Rental Assistance
• Public Housing
• Other Landlord/Tenant Matters
• Foreclosures
• Debt Collection
• Unfair and Deceptive Practices
• Credit Issues
• Bankruptcy
• Criminal Record Expungements
  
• Driver’s License Restoration​

Immigration

The Immigration Representation Project was established to address the immigration needs of low-income Lawful Permanent Residents.

We offer assistance in the following types of immigration law matters.​

• Adjustment of Status
• Citizenship Applications
• Loss of Naturalization Documents
• Immediate Relative Petitions for USCs
• Conditional Visa expirations
• Renewal of Permanent Residency Cards
• Removal/Deportation of Legal Permanent Residents
• Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Self-Petitions
• U & T Visas
• Fee Waivers for USCIS applications

Tax

NNJLS’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) is a federally-funded program which assists low-income residents who have federal tax controversies involving the IRS. 
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​We offer assistance in the following types of tax law matters:​

• Federal Tax Debt and Collections
• Removal of Tax Liens and Levies
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
• Child Tax Credit
• Employee/Independent Contractor Issues
• Tax Problems Arising from Identity Theft
• Challenges to Tax Liabilities
• Innocent/Injured Spouse Relief
• Other IRS-related Disputes and Controversies

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Clearing Criminal Records

NNJLS helps individuals remove legal barriers preventing them from successful reentry after incarceration.  
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We offer assistance in the following types of legal matters that create barriers to reentry: 

• Expungements of eligible criminal NJ conviction and arrest records
• Correcting errors in criminal records
• Obtaining and restoring driver’s licenses

HIV or AIDS

NNJLS provides legal services for persons living with HIV or AIDS.  NNJLS can make special arrangements to meet with homebound clients. 
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We offer assistance in the following types of legal matters: 

• Housing- landlord/tenant disputes; rental assistance programs; public housing
• Public Benefits- SSI/RSDI; TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families); GA (General Assistance); Unemployment Insurance; NJ SNAP (Food Stamps); Medicaid; Family Care; Medicare; and Veterans Benefits
• Healthcare- denial of medical care or health insurance coverage
• Powers of Attorney
• Wills
• Guardianship
• Family- Domestic Violence TRO and FRO; Child Support; Child Custody; Divorce
• Employment barriers- Criminal record expungements; Identification; Driver’s license restoration; Occupational license reinstatement
• Debt Collection; Bankruptcy
• Discrimination in housing, employment, and access to services

Disaster Assistance

NNJLS provides legal assistance to members of the community affected by natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy. Our goal is to ensure that senior, disabled and low-income residents who have suffered damage have a committed advocate to help them resolve their legal issues.
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We provide assistance in the following types of legal matters:​​

• FEMA claims
• Homeowners and renters insurance claims
• Tenant evictions related the storm;
• Housing habitability issues arising from flooding, power outages, and other storm damage
• Tenant security deposit return
• Denial of emergency and other storm related housing assistance;
• Denial of emergency public benefits, such as food stamps, unemployment assistance, and other public benefits.
• Other legal matters experienced by victims of Hurricane Sandy.

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Education

​The NNJLS Education Representation Project provides free legal advice, representation, and advocacy in a variety of education matters, including:​​

• School registration (residency, homeless issues)
• Transportation (homeless students, special education related services)
• Special Education (classifications, evaluations, appropriate placements, IEP reviews)
• Disciplinary matters (suspensions, expulsions)
• Disability accommodations (Section 504 accommodations)
• Bullying

Elder Justice

The NNJLS Elder Justice Project provides seniors with access to quality legal representation and advice to address civil legal issues that arise from elder abuse, neglect, and/or financial exploitation.  In addition to representation in court, NNJLS provides community legal education workshops on a range of topics related to elder abuse prevention, detection, and intervention.

We offer assistance in the following types of legal matters:

• Consumer law issues such as identity theft, consumer fraud, financial scams and telephone scams
• Domestic violence, spousal support, and protective orders
• Powers of Attorney and financial exploitation
• Housing issues such as evictions, unfit housing conditions, and utility shut-offs