Accessibility Statement

CA Small Claims is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including people with disabilities. We continually work to improve the experience for everyone.

We strive to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standard. This means we aim to make our content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users.

Court forms and legal processes can be complex. We believe that accessible design is especially important in this context, where users may already be under stress and need clear, usable interfaces.

Accessibility features

Keyboard navigation

All interactive elements are accessible via keyboard. Use Tab to navigate between fields, Enter or Space to activate buttons, and Escape to close modals. The form wizard supports keyboard shortcuts for efficient navigation.

Screen reader support

Our forms use semantic HTML, ARIA labels, and live regions to work with screen readers such as NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver. Form validation errors are announced, and progress updates are communicated to assistive technology.

Visual design

We use sufficient color contrast ratios and visible focus indicators. Information is never conveyed by color alone, and text can be resized without loss of content.

Forms and inputs

All form fields have associated labels. Required fields are clearly indicated. Error messages identify the specific field and describe how to correct the error. Help text provides additional context for complex legal fields.

Alternative formats

If you need court forms or information in an alternative format, the following options may be available:

  • PDF downloads -- completed forms can be downloaded and printed at any size.
  • Email delivery -- forms can be emailed to you or a helper for printing.
  • Plain language guidance -- our form wizard presents each question in plain language with explanations of legal terms.
  • Voice input -- dictation support is available for text fields on devices with microphone access.

Known limitations

We are aware of the following accessibility limitations and are actively working to address them:

  • Some older PDF templates may not be fully accessible to screen readers. We are working on providing accessible HTML alternatives.
  • The signature field requires pointer input (mouse, touch, or stylus). We are exploring text-based signature alternatives.

Report an accessibility issue

If you encounter an accessibility barrier while using CA Small Claims, please let us know. We take accessibility feedback seriously and will work to address issues promptly.

When reporting an issue, please include:

  • A description of the problem you encountered
  • The page or form where the issue occurred
  • The browser and assistive technology you were using, if applicable
  • Any steps needed to reproduce the issue

You can report accessibility issues through our GitHub issue tracker.