Getting legal help in your language

Do you speak a language other than English? You have the right to get help in your own language when you:

• Visit hospitals and other places that serve the public
• Use government services
• Go to court
• Need legal help

Here's how you can get help:

Public services

You should get help in your language at:

• Hospitals
• Pharmacies
• Social Services offices
• Schools
• Police departments
• Voting places (for certain languages)

If you don't get help in your language, contact:

Office of the New York State Attorney General, Civil Rights Bureau

28 Liberty Street, New York NY 10005

Phone: 212-416-8250

Email: Civil.Rights@ag.ny.gov

State offices

New York State offices that help the public must:

• Give you an interpreter (someone who helps you talk to others in your language)
• Give you important documents in your language if you speak one of New York's top 12 languages:
  • Arabic
  • Bengali
  • Chinese
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Italian
  • Korean
  • Polish
  • Russian
  • Spanish
  • Urdu
  • Yiddish

Need help? You can:

• Download a language card to show what language you speak
• Email consumers@dfs.ny.gov to get documents in your language
• Call (800) 342-3736 for free help in your language

State courts

If you need to go to court, you can get a free interpreter. This is true for:

• Criminal cases
• Civil cases (like housing or family matters)
• Anyone involved in the case (like witnesses or victims)
• Court services outside the courtroom

To get an interpreter:

1. Tell the Clerk's office as soon as you can, or
2. Call the Office of Language Access at (646) 386-5670

If you have problems with court interpreters, you can:

• Call (646) 386-5670
• Email interpretercomplaints@nycourts.gov

New York City offices

All New York City offices that help the public must help you in your language. If they don't:

1. Call 311 or text 311-692
2. Tell them:
   1. What happened
   2. Who you talked to
   3. What language you speak

Important things to know:

• Your immigration status does not matter
• You don't have to give your name
• You can file a complaint even if you're worried about getting in trouble

Federal (United States) programs

Federal offices and places that get federal money must help you in your language. This includes:

• Social Security (SSI, Disability, and Retirement)
• Food help (SNAP)
• Health services (Medicaid and Medicare)

If you don't get help in your language, you can file a complaint about unfair treatment. To do this:

1. Visit www.justice.gov/crt/about/cor/complaint.php
2. Fill out the complaint form
3. Send it to the right office

Each federal office might have its own complaint form. Check their website to find out.

Some free legal help offices

Legal aid offices give free legal help to people who can't afford a lawyer. These offices are non-profit organizations (groups that help people instead of making money). If they get money from the federal government, they must help you in your language.

Find free legal help with LawHelpNY, and learn more about language assistance at legal aid offices.