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Legal Services

The Safe Center’s Legal Services Center provides a variety of services in all Nassau County Courts to victims of domestic abuse, dating violence, rape/sexual assault, and elder abuse.

A staff of attorneys, many of whom are bilingual, offer legal consultations to all clients of The Safe Center. Direct Representation, including immigration legal proceedings are available on a limited basis.

Consultation

Attorneys experienced in areas of domestic violence, child abuse, and rape/sexual assault consult with clients about their legal rights and options, especially concerning immigration, custody/visitation, family offenses, separation or divorce, and child/spousal support issues.

Child Victims Act: Look Back Window

August 2019 marked the opening of the “look back window” under New York State’s Child Victims Act. This one year window allows survivors of child sexual abuse to pursue civil action against the individuals who abused them and the organizations complicit in the abuse, no matter how long ago the abuse took place.

To help survivors in Nassau County better understand their rights, our Legal Department will be hosting a series of question and answer sessions. If you or someone you know is interested in these sessions, please call The Safe Center’s Hotline at (516) 542-0404 to register.

Representation

Frequently, the abuser is the moneyed party and can afford to retain private counsel, while victims of domestic or sexual violence have few or no resources available. Free access to legal assistance is therefore a critical component of The Safe Center’s services and is available on a limited basis.

The Director of Legal Services may appoint victims of domestic violence and rape/sexual assault a staff attorney well versed in the complex dynamics of family abuse to represent them in various civil court proceeding. The staff attorneys also do case intakes, consultations, case monitoring, and direct representation in proceedings involving:

• Family offenses
• Child Custody/Visitation
• Child/Spousal Support
• Paternity proceedings
• Divorce
• Immigration
• And other issues arising from the abuse

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