Accessible Court Forms: Mobile-First Design Patterns

Accessible court forms are critical for pro se access.

WCAG 2.1 AA standards

Court forms should meet WCAG 2.1 AA:

• Perceivable: text alternatives, captions, color contrast
• Operable: keyboard navigation, timing, seizures
• Understandable: readable, predictable
• Robust: compatible with assistive technology

Mobile-first design patterns

Pattern 1: Single-column layout

• Single column for mobile
• Multi-column for desktop
• Avoid horizontal scrolling

Pattern 2: Large touch targets

• Buttons: 44x44px minimum
• Form fields: 16px font minimum
• Tap targets: 48px spacing minimum

Pattern 3: Plain language

• 5th-6th grade reading level
• Short sentences
• Active voice
• Define legal terms

Pattern 4: Progress indicators

• Show progress through form
• Save partial progress
• Resume capability

Pattern 5: Voice input

• Speech-to-text for fields
• Voice navigation
• Multi-language support

Pattern 6: Smart defaults

• Pre-fill from previous forms
• Auto-detect from device location
• Confirm before submitting

Pattern 7: Plain language errors

• Inline error messages
• Specific corrections
• Non-color-coded errors

Pattern 8: Help text

• Tooltips for legal terms
• Examples for complex fields
• Custom support contact

Pattern 9: Save and resume

• Save partial progress
• Email resume link
• Multi-device continuity

Pattern 10: Multi-modal completion

• Web form
• Phone support
• In-person kiosks
• Mail-in option

Source

WCAG 2.1, Section 508, NCSC publications, USDOJ.

Dillon Deutsch has built accessible court form systems. https://courtgpt.ai