Serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island and Westchester County
Our experienced New York attorneys work diligently on unfreezing bank accounts using various legal strategies. We often explore options like vacating a default judgment or filing for bankruptcy to trigger an automatic stay. There may also be other legal approaches available depending on your specific situation.
If your account has been frozen by a creditor or through a court judgment, contact us today at 212-233-1233. We can provide legal representation to help address your frozen account situation.
Our legal team has successfully unfrozen bank accounts across New York using these proven strategies.
Get Help NowWe employ several powerful legal approaches that have consistently helped our clients regain access to their frozen accounts:
Many bank account freezes in New York result from "default judgments" – court rulings made when someone doesn't respond to a lawsuit, often because they were never properly notified.
Our attorneys overturn these judgments by:
When our motion is successful, the court will lift the freeze on your bank account, often within days of filing.
Another powerful tool we use to unfreeze accounts is filing for bankruptcy protection. The moment we file a bankruptcy petition, the "automatic stay" goes into effect, which:
For many clients, this approach not only unfreezes accounts but also provides a path to comprehensive debt relief. We carefully analyze your financial situation to determine if bankruptcy is the right option for your specific circumstances.
Our attorneys thoroughly examine restraining notices for procedural defects that can lead to immediate account release. In New York, creditors must strictly follow CPLR §5222 requirements when issuing restraining notices. We can invalidate freezes if:
These challenges can result in the immediate release of your funds without lengthy litigation.
For clients with complex financial situations, we leverage New York's CPLR §5240, which grants courts broad discretion to "deny, limit, condition, regulate, extend or modify the use of any enforcement procedure."
This powerful provision allows our attorneys to request that the court modify or terminate an account freeze based on your specific circumstances and equitable considerations, such as:
This approach requires skilled legal advocacy but can be highly effective when other methods aren't applicable.
Many New Yorkers don't realize that certain funds are legally protected from freezes and seizures. Our attorneys can file exemption claims to protect funds such as:
New York's Exempt Income Protection Act provides important protections for these funds—but only if you properly assert these protections through the correct legal channels.
Beyond vacating default judgments, our attorneys can challenge judgments on numerous other legal grounds that may not be immediately obvious:
These sophisticated challenges often require in-depth legal research and skilled advocacy, which our attorneys provide.
New York follows specific laws that govern how and when accounts can be frozen:
New York's Civil Practice Law and Rules outlines the procedures creditors must follow to enforce judgments, including account freezes
This New York law protects certain funds from being frozen, including the first $2,850 in your account if it contains directly deposited exempt benefits
Creditors must provide specific notices and follow strict procedures before freezing accounts
Violations of these requirements can provide grounds for immediately unfreezing your account—but only if you have an attorney who knows how to identify and leverage these violations.
Every day matters. The sooner you act, the sooner you can regain access to your funds.
We offer same-day consultations and immediate legal action for urgent account freezes. Get professional legal representation before your funds are lost for good.
✅ Same-day consultations available
✅ We respond to all inquiries within 24 hours
✅ We work to provide timely assistance with account freeze situations
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Common questions about frozen bank accounts in New York, based on our extensive experience helping clients through this process.
Yes, in many cases we are able to unfreeze bank accounts by vacating default judgments, filing for bankruptcy, challenging restraining notices, or negotiating with creditors. Every case is unique, but our experience and legal strategies have helped many New Yorkers regain access to their funds.
The timeline depends on the legal strategy used. Bankruptcy can unfreeze an account almost immediately. Vacating a default judgment or challenging a restraining notice can take a few days to a couple of weeks. Negotiated settlements may resolve matters within days. Acting quickly is critical.
Funds such as Social Security, SSI, veterans benefits, public assistance, child support, unemployment, workers' compensation, pensions, disability, and 90% of recent wages are protected by New York's Exempt Income Protection Act. We can help assert your rights to these funds.
Albert Goodwin, Esq. is a licensed New York attorney with over 15 years of experience helping clients unfreeze bank accounts and resolve complex financial legal issues. His extensive knowledge of New York's civil and bankruptcy laws has helped numerous clients successfully regain access to their funds.
He can be reached at 212-233-1233 or [email protected].