What is a Hope Card

A Hope Card is a portable version of an Order of Protection. The Hope Card program allows anyone protected by an active final Order of Protection to request and receive a physical Hope Card, a digital Hope Card, or both.

• A physical Hope Card is a durable, wallet-sized card with a summary of the information on your Order of Protection. There is also a link on the card to a digital image of your Order of Protection. Physical Hope Cards are sent to the protected party by mail.
• A digital Hope Card is a digital image of your Order of Protection. Digital Hope Cards are sent to the protected party by email or text message with a secure link to the digital image.

Hope Cards are FREE.

How to use a Hope Card

A Hope Card is an easy way to carry your final Order of Protection with you, either in your wallet, pocket, or on your cell phone.

A Hope Card will allow a protected party to quickly share the details of their Order of Protection with anyone they choose (for example: school, workplace, family, neighbors). A Hope Card has the same legal effect as a paper Order of Protection. You can show either your digital or physical Hope Card to the police. They can also use the information on your Hope Card to look up your Order of Protection in their computer system.

Who can request a Hope Card

Any protected party on an active final Order of Protection can request a Hope Card.

• If your final Order of Protection was issued in a family or matrimonial (divorce) case, your attorney may request a Hope Card for you. If you are under 18, your attorney, your parent, or your guardian can request a Hope Card on your behalf, as long as they are not the against party. An agency that has custody of a child who is a protected party may request a Hope Card on the child’s behalf.
• If your final Order of Protection was issued in a criminal case, the district attorney, a crime victim advocate, or a domestic violence advocate may also request a Hope Card for you. If you are under 18, your attorney, your parent, or your guardian can request a Hope Card on your behalf, as long as they are not the against party.

If the court has ordered that your address is confidential, requesting a Hope Card will not change that. When you make a request for a physical Hope Card to be mailed to you, the address and contact information you give is only used to issue and send your Hope Card. It does not change the case information in the court’s computer system, and it is not shared with anyone.

How to request a Hope Card

There are two ways to request a Hope Card:

• Go to the Hope Card website at https://hope.nycourts.gov and use the Request a Hope Card button to complete and submit a Hope Card request electronically.
• Complete a paper Hope Card Request form and submit it at any criminal, family, or supreme court. (To get a paper form, use the link below or go to any criminal, family or supreme courthouse.)

For more information about the Hope Card program, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on the Hope Card website at https://hope.nycourts.gov