Defending New Yorkers
Civil Action
Protecting people’s belongings, homes, jobs, and opportunities
Civil Action Practice
Protecting people’s belongings, homes, jobs, and opportunities
A sweeping array of civil punishments are triggered the moment someone faces arrest, deportation, or family separation.
The people we represent risk losing their jobs, homes, income, property, and basic civil rights – struggles that can be more devastating and long-lasting than the charges themselves.
Last year, we helped 2,800 people obtain concrete benefits like maintaining their jobs, homes, income, property, and rights.
Our Approach
At The Bronx Defenders, we integrate civil advocacy with criminal, family, and immigration defense to break cycles of injustice and secure clients’ basic needs. Our teams represent clients in civil courts citywide while supporting their reentry into the community and restoration of rights.
Get Support
Right to Counsel in Housing Court.
We were proud collaborators in the movement to establish a right to an attorney for people facing eviction and other penalties in housing court. Find out how you can get legal help.
Access to Public Benefits.
We serve as a single-stop site that provides community members with access to, and information about, nutritional benefits, transportation benefits, childcare, and healthcare.
Correcting and Sealing Criminal Court Records.
Currently, there is no expungement law in New York State, so we fight to uphold sealings laws and challenge the use and dissemination of sealed criminal records in civil courts.
Getting Your Property Back.
Every year, we help thousands of low-income Bronx residents get their seized cash, cars, and other property back from police.
Employment and Income.
We combat against the loss of jobs and occupational licenses, employment discrimination, and the termination of critical public benefits.
Reentry Services.
In partnership with our pro bono legal network, we offer information sessions to people living in the Bronx who have been involved in the legal system, helping them navigate the complex barriers to reintegration.