Do-It-Yourself Forms

Dealing with a consumer debt case (Upstate)

This guide can help you write an Answer, Unfreeze Bank Account Letter, Improper Garnishment Letter, or Motion to Dismiss. (The link is to LawHelp Interactive)

Vacate a default judgment

This guide can help you tell a judge why you missed your court date or didn't answer a complaint. (The link is to nycourts.gov)

Write a letter to debt collector to report identity theft

Create a letter to send to a debt collection company for a debt from an identity theft (The link is to IdentityTheft.gov)

Write a letter to get a collector to stop contacting you

This government form will help you write a letter to get a debt collector to stop contacting you. (The link is to ConsumerFinance.gov)

Uncontested Divorce 

You can use the Uncontested Divorce guide only if you both

• agree to a divorce
• agree about what will happen to all property, assets, and debts after the divorce
• are at least 18 years old
• have no children who are younger than 21

(Link is on LawHelpNY)

Custody/Visitation Enforcement Petition

You can use the Custody/Visitation Enforcement Petition if the custody or visitation order is not being followed. This free guide will help you fill out the petition to file in Family Court. (Link is to LawHelp Interactive)

Family Court Custody/Visitation Modification Petition

You can use the Custody/Visitation Modification Petition to change the custody/visitation order if there is a "change in circumstances." This free guide will help you fill out the petition to file in Family Court. (Link is to LawHelp Interactive)

Family Court Support Enforcement/Violation Petition

You can use the Support Enforcement/Violation Petition, if the support order is not being followed. This free guide will help you fill out the petition to file in Family Court.

You can use this guide and petition if:

• you already have a support order signed by a judge
• you are the one who receives the support payment
• no person on the support order gets public assistance

(Link is to LawHelp Interactive)

Surrogate's Court 17A Guardianship Petition

Surrogate's Court can make a parent or other relative the guardian of a person who is developmentally disabled, through an "Article 17-A Guardianship proceeding."

Article 17-A can make someone a guardian even after the person turns 18. The free guide fills out the forms to start the 17-A Guardianship proceeding. (Link is to nycourts.gov for more instructions. After that, the court website links to LawHelp Interactive)

Family Court Paternity Petition

Paternity means fatherhood. You can use this free guide to write a paternity petition. After you file the petition, there will be a hearing in Family Court to decide who is the child's biological father. (Link is to nycourts.gov for more instructions. After that, the court website links to LawHelp Interactive)

Name Change for Minors

This free guide helps you change your child's name in New York City. When you finish the guide, print the petition and file it at the court. The guide will tell you how to file it. You can use this guide and petition if:

• Your child is age 17 or younger.
• You are the child’s parent, and
• You both live in New York State.

(Link is to LawHelp Interactive)

Name Change for Adults (NYC)

Click here for the Court's free interactive computer guide to create an adult name change petition. (LawHelp Interactive)

Online Name Change (for adults living outside of NYC)

This guide will help you ask the NY State Supreme Court to change your name.  You can use this guide if

• You are age 18 or older
• You are not in prison, on probation or on parole

(LawHelp Interactive)

Online Support Modification Program

A Support Modification Petition asks (or "petitions") the Family Court to change a support order, based on changed circumstances. This guide will help you fill out the petition to file in Family Court. (Links to LawHelp Interactive)

Online Small Estate Affidavit Program

This interactive guide will help you fill out an Affidavit of Voluntary Administration. You can use this form ("affidavit") for dividing the property of someone who died with less than $30,000 in property. (LawHelp Interactive)

File Federal Tax Return (goes to the official US government IRS site).

Foreclosure Answer Program

This free and confidential online program can help you create an Answer to the Summons and Complaint you received. Your Answer tells the court your defenses (or reasons) why the mortgage Lender must not win the case.

HP Action Case Forms to Get Housing Repairs and Stop Harassment (NYC)

This free and easy program will ask you questions and make court papers to start a case to bring your landlord to court to get housing repairs and stop harassment. You will get step by step instructions that will tell you what to do.

Small Property Owner Licensee Holdover Petition Program

This free and easy program will ask you questions and make papers for a residential licensee holdover petition or notice to quit to start a licensee holdover case in court. You will also get instructions that tell you what to do next. 

Small Property Owner Squatter Holdover Petition Program

This program will help you make papers for a residential squatter holdover petition or notice to quit to start a squatter holdover case in court. 

Tenant Vacate Default Judgment Program (Non-NYC)

This free and easy program will ask you questions and make papers that help you tell a judge why you missed your court date in a landlord-tenant nonpayment or holdover case.

When you finish the program, you can print an “Order to Show Cause,” and “Affidavit in Support” which you must give to the Court Clerk.

The papers ask the judge to let you come back to court to explain why the judgment against you should be cancelled (or "vacated"). You should only use this program if a judgment has been made against you.

Tenant Affidavit to Restore Case to Calendar Program

Use this form if you need to go back to housing court to ask the judge to do something more on your case such as

• Give you more time to do what you promised to do.
• Get the landlord to do what they promised to do.
• Resolve some other issue directly related to your housing case.

Before you start filling out this form, it is best to have the paper you signed. That way you can copy certain information the form asks you to provide.

If you cannot find your court papers, you just need to know who is suing who and the court will be able to find the case in their records.

To learn about citizenship and fill out a free application form, go to citizenshipworks.org

Cell Phone Service Contract Termination Letter - for All States

This packet helps the servicemember draft a sample letter to their cell phone service provider requesting termination or suspension of services due to deployment or PCS.

Collection Agency Stop Contact Letter - for All States

This packet helps individuals with military connections (IMC) draft a sample letter to a collection agency requesting stop contact and verification of the debt. The packet is based on the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.

Letter from Commanding Officer - Stay of Proceedings for All States

A packet for active duty military members seeking to delay an action against them under the protections of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

Letter to Landlord Ending the Lease Early

Self-Help Sample Letter Packet Providing Notice of Early Termination of Residential Lease.

Letter to Landlord (Eviction)

This packet helps the servicemember draft a sample letter to the landlord explaining the protections provided by the SCRA

Letter to Landlord - Security Deposit Return for All States

This packet helps the servicemember draft a sample letter to their landlord requesting the security deposit to be returned after an early termination of the lease under the SCRA.

Letter to Request 6% Interest Rate Cap on Loans

This packet helps the servicemember draft a sample letter to request 6% interest rate cap on loans 

Letter to Request Lower Credit Card Interest Rate

Letter to adjust credit card interest rate.

Motion to Stay Proceedings for All States

Motion, letter from Servicemember, and sample letter from Commanding Officer requesting the court to stay the proceedings against the servicemember for 90 days. Protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

Notice of Disagreement of VA Claim Denial for All States

This is for appealing decisions dated before February 19, 2019. This program will create a letter and instructions. This letter states that you disagree with the VA rating decision about your claim and that you want to appeal the decision to the Board of Veterans Appeals

USERRA - Letter Notification to Employer

The program creates a letter to notify your employer that you will miss work due to active duty service.

Sample letters from the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sample letters that help you solve identity theft problems. Use the sample letters on this page to write debt collectors, credit bureaus, dispute an account in your name, and more.

Small Estate Affidavit Program

The small estate affidavit is helpful if someone who died (the "decedent") did not have many assets. It asks the court to let you divide and give away the property to people who have a legal right to inherit. You can use the free online form IF:

• The decedent (the person who died) had $50,000 or less in personal property.
• You don't plan to sell any real estate that they owned jointly with someone else. 

Apply for SNAP (food stamps) or Public Assistance

Check your eligibility or sign up for public benefits from NY State's "myBenefits" page. The "myBenefits" page explains how to create an account. It starts with a form to prove your identity, on "NY.GOV ID."