Attorneys for Children
Attorneys for Children provide legal services to children in Family Court proceedings and in Supreme Court custody matters. Nearly 500 attorneys in private practice are designated by the New York State Appellate Divisions as members of county panels and are then appointed by Family Court Judges and Supreme Court Justices to represent children on a case-by-case basis.
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think – Christopher Robin.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Our Client Meeting Room
At Copps DiPaola Silverman, PLLC, the Attorneys for Children have a special room dedicated to their Child-Clients. We know that it can be intimidating to meet with a grown-up who you have never met before, so we made sure to make our meeting room as welcoming as possible. Our waiting room for parents and guardians is comfortable and down the hall, and our staff members are always on hand for questions that may arise while the meeting is taking place.
“It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine – Eeyore.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Court Contact Information
Albany County Family Court
AlbanyFamilyCourt@NYCourts.gov
Phone: (518) 285-8600
https://ww2.nycourts.gov/courts/3jd/albany/3JD-Albany%20Family%20Court.shtml
Rensselaer County Family Court
rensselaerfamilycourt@nycourts.gov
Phone: (518) 453-5515
https://ww2.nycourts.gov/courts/3jd/rensselaer/3JD-Rensselaer%20Family%20Court.shtml
Family Court Calendars
https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fcasfamily/main
Virtual Court Appearance Help
https://portal.nycourts.gov/knowledgebase/article/KA-01070
“The things that make me different are the things that make me – Piglet.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
“It’s hard to be brave,” said Piglet, sniffing slightly, “when you’re only a Very Small Animal.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Information and Resources for Parents/Guardians of our Child-Clients
Bill of Rights for Children in Custody Cases
https://ww2.nycourts.gov/courts/6jd/tompkins/family/rights.shtml
Bill of Rights for Children in Foster Care
https://thecdslawfirm.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/OCFS-Bill-of-Rights-for-Children-in-Foster-Care.pdf
Child Abuse Prevention Resources
https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/prevention/resources.php
Child Protective Services
https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/cps/FAQ.php
Child Support
https://childsupport.ny.gov/DCSE/HomePage
Children’s Centers in the Courts
Albany County Family Court and Rensselaer County Family Court each have childcare centers available. For more information and to determine availability, please visit http://ww2.nycourts.gov/ip/childrenscenter/centers_a.shtml
Child Care for Children with Disabilities
https://www.health.ny.gov/community/special_needs/
Co-Parenting Classes
https://saratogacff.org/programs/
https://www.onlineparentingprograms.com/online-classes/co-parenting-divorce-class.html
Co-Parenting Communication Tools
https://appclose.com/
https://talkingparents.com/home
https://www.ourfamilywizard.com/
Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Forms & Resources
Know Your Rights (Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Crime Victim, Housing, Employee, Public Benefits, Child Protective Services, Voting): https://opdv.ny.gov/know-your-rights
New York State Court Forms
http://ww2.nycourts.gov/forms/familycourt/domesticviolence.shtml
Equinox Albany
https://www.equinoxinc.org/page/domestic-violence-services-15.html
YWCA Schenectady
https://www.ywca-neny.org/dv/
Saratoga Center for the Family
https://saratogacff.org/our-services
Drug/Alcohol Counselors
https://findaddictiontreatment.ny.gov/
Drug & Alcohol Testing
http://www.netesting.net/
https://www.soberlink.com/
Help Paying for Child Care
https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/childcare/subsidy/help.php
Families Facing Deportation and Immigration
https://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/research-resources/resources-for-families-facing-deportation-separation/
Paid Family Leave Works
https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/2022
Resources available to Foster Parents
https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/fostercare/requirements.php#support
Translation Services
https://nycourts.gov/courthelp/goingtocourt/interpreters.shtml
“You find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Legal Assistance and Information for Unrepresented Litigants in Family Court
How to Apply for Assigned Counsel: The Office of the Public Defender, the Office of the Alternate Public Defender, and 18B Attorneys are assigned by the Court to represent individuals who qualify financially free of charge in the following areas of Family Court: Custody and Visitation; Child Abuse/Neglect or the Termination of Parental Rights; Adolescent Offenders; Paternity; Child Support; Family Offenses; and Adoption of Children.
When you bring a petition or are the respondent in a petition in any of the above-mentioned areas, you will receive a notice to appear in Court. At your first appearance, the Court will advise you of your right to counsel and ask you if you can afford an attorney. If you tell the Court that you cannot afford an attorney or would like an attorney assigned to represent you, you will be given an application to determine your eligibility for assigned counsel. If you have filed a petition and would like an application for assigned counsel so that you have an opportunity speak with an attorney before your next court appearance, please contact the following to request an application for assigned counsel:
Albany County Family Court
AlbanyFamilyCourt@NYCourts.gov
Phone: (518) 285-8600
Rensselaer County Family Court
rensselaerfamilycourt@nycourts.gov
Phone: (518) 453-5515
Your application will be reviewed by the Court and if you meet the financial eligibility guidelines for assigned counsel, a qualified attorney will be assigned to handle your case.
If you do not qualify for assigned counsel or intend to represent yourself, you can find information at https://www.nycourts.gov/courthelp/Family/custody.shtml.
For limited legal advice, you can contact the Albany County Bar Association’s Family Court Help Center at https://albanycountybar.org/?pg=helpcenter.
