Plain Language & Accessibility
Resources for improving court communications, public-facing documents, and website accessibility.
Know a resource that belongs here? This page grows with input from the field. If you've found a tool, organization, or program that should be on this list, we'd love to hear about it.
Suggest a Resource →Federal government's authoritative plain language resource — guidelines, training, and before/after examples directly applicable to court documents.
Nonprofit focused on plain language in government and legal documents. Includes the annual ClearMark Awards highlighting excellent government communications.
Federal interagency plain language community — free resources, guidelines, and training for federal communicators.
Free web tool that scores document readability and flags overly complex sentences. Useful for reviewing public-facing court documents.
Focused on improving court forms, instructions, and processes for self-represented litigants. Most directly applicable resource for court administrators on accessible design.
Community of practice applying design thinking to legal documents and processes. Relevant for courts considering form and document redesign.
Leading UX research organization with free articles on government website design, plain language, and information architecture.
Federal government's design system with accessibility and plain language baked in. Useful for courts thinking about website redesign.
Federal government's authoritative accessibility resource — guidance, training, tools, and testing frameworks directly applicable to federal courts.
Comprehensive web accessibility guidance, evaluation tools, and training from Utah State University's Center for Persons with Disabilities.
ADA compliance guidance covering the full range of accessibility requirements including physical courthouse access, accommodations, and digital access.
Free webinars on ADA and accessibility topics run by ADA National Network centers.
This resource directory is curated by Third Branch Solutions and updated regularly. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement. FREE designations reflect resources available at no cost at time of publication. For questions or additions, contact info@thirdbranchsolutions.com.