New York State Unified Court System

Many veterans return to civilian life and find themselves facing personal challenges, including mental health problems or substance use, that are unique to life after military service. Criminal behavior, mental health problems and substance abuse often stem directly from service in combat zones and may be amplified by reentry into civilian life. There are numerous organizations and agencies that cater to veterans struggling with legal issues whether civil or criminal.

City Bar Justice

Veterans Assistance Project

Phone: (212) 382-4722 or request on-line.

--Veterans Benefit issues

Legal Services NYC

Phone: (917) 661-4500 Hotline

Call Monday-Friday, 10 am – 4 pm. 

--Brooklyn Campus: Legal Clinic – 1st Tuesday of every Month

16th floor PRRTP, 8 am to 12 noon.

--LSNYC also assists veterans in a range of civil legal matters including housing, family law, child support, Social Security, VA benefits, healthcare proxy, wills, power of attorney, immigration, employment law. Locations:

BRONX

349 East 149th St. 10th Floor

Bronx, NY 10451

Phone: 718-928-3700

BROOKLYN

105 Court Street, 3rd Floor

Brooklyn, NY 11201

Phone: 718-237-5500

MANHATTAN

1 West 125th Street, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10027

Phone: 646-442-3100

QUEENS

89-00 Sutphin Blvd.

Jamaica, NY 11435

Phone: 347-592-2200

STATEN ISLAND

36 Richmond Terrace, Ste. 205

Staten Island, NY 10301

Phone: 718-233-6480

Veteran Advocacy Project

Phone: (646) 602-5620

40 Rector Street, 9th floor, NY, NY

Email: contact@veteranadvocacy.org

--Discharge upgrades, evictions, and more

Hofstra Veterans Law Clinic

--Provides free representation to low-income Veterans seeking to appeal a denial of VA disability compensation benefits and to Veterans seeking a discharge upgrade. Phone screening

Phone: (516) 463-5934 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday, or email Email: LawClinic@Hofstra.edu

New York City Small Claims Court

Anyone 18 years of age or over can sue in Small Claims Court. If you are younger than 18, your parent or guardian may sue on your behalf. Only an individual can sue in Small Claims Court. Corporations, partnerships, associations, or assignees cannot sue in Small Claims Court. However, they can be sued in Small Claims Court.

Legal Services & Information

Veterans Justice Outreach Program

The mission of the Veterans Justice Programs is to identify justice-involved Veterans and contact them through outreach, in order to facilitate access to VA services at the earliest possible point. Veterans Justice Programs accomplish this by building and maintaining partnerships between VA and key elements of the criminal justice system.

New York State Unified Court System

Many veterans return to civilian life and find themselves facing personal challenges, including mental health problems or substance use, that are unique to life after military service. Criminal behavior, mental health problems and substance abuse often stem directly from service in combat zones and may be amplified by reentry into civilian life.

Veterans Justice Outreach Program

The mission of the Veterans Justice Programs is to identify justice-involved Veterans and contact them through outreach, in order to facilitate access to VA services at the earliest possible point. Veterans Justice Programs accomplish this by building and maintaining partnerships between VA and key elements of the criminal justice system.

Veterans Justice Outreach Program

The mission of the Veterans Justice Programs is to identify justice-involved Veterans and contact them through outreach, in order to facilitate access to VA services at the earliest possible point. Veterans Justice Programs accomplish this by building and maintaining partnerships between VA and key elements of the criminal justice system.

New York Harbor Healthcare System

423 E. 23rd St.

New York, NY 10010

Contact: Siobhan Dannacker, LCSW

Phone: (212) 807-4449

Email: Siobhan.Dannacker@va.gov

New York Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinators

Albany, Albany VA Medical Center: Samuel S. Stratton, Alyssa Gibbons

Bath, Bath VA Medical Center, Stacie Contreras

Bronx, James J. Peters VA Medical Center (Bronx, NY), Eddie Marcano

Buffalo, VA Western New York Healthcare System at Buffalo, John Lahood, Carolyn Fagnan

Canandaigua, Canandaigua VA Medical Center, Shirley McGee

Montrose, VA Hudson Valley Health Care System, Karetha Henry

New York, Manhattan Campus of the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, Siobhan Dannacker, Jeff Rabinovici, Kimberly Shaw

Northport, Northport VA Medical Center, Eric Bruno, Tiffany Grant-Zellem

Syracuse, Syracuse VA Medical Center, Janice James, Wendy Varricchio-Fletcher

New York State Unified Court System / Resources

The New York State Unified Court System recognizes that veterans sometimes enter the criminal justice system under circumstances that may arise from their prior military service.  Drug Courts and Mental Health Courts leverage tools best calculated to make a meaningful difference for court involved veterans with substance abuse or mental health issues.  Veterans Treatment Courts can help leverage the resources available to defendant veterans to help them reintegrate as successful and productive civilians. This directory is intended to help veterans that may struggle with issues such as substance abuse, mental health issues, homelessness and thoughts of suicide.  It is also intended to aid judges and courts in identifying resources available to veterans who may appear in proceedings before them.  In addition to listing statewide and regional resources, this directory invites court managers to adapt it to include their own local resources where veterans and their families can access referrals specific to their needs. We encourage courts to share their local resources with the Unified Court System, Office of Policy and Planning so we can disseminate updated resource guides in the future.

The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program

Did you know Veterans with Honorable or General discharges qualify for expedited naturalization? 

 provides FREE legal aid through the "Veterans Naturalization Assistance Program."

2101 L Street NW, Suite 225

Washington, DC 20037

@vetsprobono