This portal was built by a disabled litigant in person with ADHD and ASD. Every accessibility feature is a reasonable adjustment that the courts refused to provide. The portal demonstrates what accommodation looks like in practice.
This portal targets conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA. The following features are implemented throughout every page.
A 'Skip to main content' link is injected at the top of every page. It is hidden visually but becomes visible on keyboard focus. This allows keyboard and screen reader users to bypass the navigation and jump directly to the page content. The skip link targets the #legalMain landmark on every page.
The entire portal is operable by keyboard alone. No interaction requires a mouse. In addition to standard Tab navigation, the following shortcuts are available on every page:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| / | Focus the search input |
| ? | Show or hide the keyboard shortcuts help overlay |
| h | Navigate to portal overview (home) |
| s | Navigate to 29:0 statistics page |
| a | Navigate to Ask the Case (AI research tool) |
| e | Navigate to evidence gallery |
| p | Print the current page (or open print version for case pages) |
| Esc | Close the side panel or blur the focused input |
| Tab | Move focus to the next interactive element |
| Shift+Tab | Move focus to the previous interactive element |
| Enter | Activate the focused link or button |
Shortcuts are suppressed when the user is typing in a search field or text input, preventing accidental navigation.
Every page uses semantic HTML5 landmarks. The sidebar navigation carries aria-label="Case navigation". Interactive elements such as the keyboard shortcuts overlay use role="dialog" with aria-label. Decorative images use empty alt="" attributes. Content images carry descriptive alt text. All form inputs are associated with visible labels or accessible names.
Every page includes a dedicated print stylesheet. When printing, all navigation, interactive controls, and decorative elements are hidden. External URLs are appended after links so they remain accessible in printed form. Internal links suppress URL display to reduce clutter. Page break rules prevent headings from being orphaned at the bottom of a page. Colours are forced to black on white for maximum legibility. Dedicated printable case summaries are available at /legal/print/{case-id}.
The portal is built on the principle of progressive enhancement. All content is accessible as static HTML without JavaScript. Interactive features (search, filtering, side panel, keyboard shortcuts) are layered on top using the .js-enabled class pattern. If JavaScript fails to load or is disabled, every document, exhibit, chronology entry, and authority remains fully readable. No content is hidden behind a JavaScript requirement.
The portal adapts to all screen sizes from 320px upward. The sidebar navigation collapses on screens below 1100px. A dedicated mobile bottom navigation bar appears on screens below 768px. Tables reflow or scroll horizontally. Typography scales appropriately. Touch targets meet the minimum 44x44 pixel requirement specified by WCAG 2.1. The split-screen evidence panel becomes a full-screen overlay on mobile devices.
All text meets or exceeds the WCAG 2.1 AA minimum contrast ratios.
| Element | Foreground | Background | Ratio | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body text | #1a1a1a | #fafaf8 | 16.5:1 | 4.5:1 (AA) |
| Secondary text | #5a5a5a | #fafaf8 | 6.4:1 | 4.5:1 (AA) |
| Links | #2c5f7c | #fafaf8 | 6.3:1 | 4.5:1 (AA) |
| Accent (warm) | #b8860b | #fafaf8 | 4.6:1 | 3:1 (large text, AA) |
| Mono code | #1a1a1a | #f5f4f0 | 14.8:1 | 4.5:1 (AA) |
All interactive elements display visible focus indicators when reached by keyboard. Links, buttons, and form inputs receive a clearly visible outline or border change on focus. The skip link transitions into view when focused. The sidebar navigation links change colour and background on focus. Focus indicators are never suppressed or removed. They use high-contrast colours that remain visible against both light and dark backgrounds.
The following features are reasonable adjustments within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010 s.20. They address the specific barriers faced by users with ADHD, ASD, visual impairments, motor disabilities, and cognitive difficulties.
The portal uses relative units (rem) throughout. Users can increase text size using their browser's built-in zoom (Ctrl+/Cmd+ on most browsers) without breaking the layout. The design reflows cleanly up to 200% zoom, as required by WCAG 2.1 SC 1.4.4. No text is set in absolute pixel sizes that would resist browser scaling.
The portal respects the operating system's colour scheme preference via prefers-color-scheme. Users who have enabled dark mode or high contrast mode in their operating system will see the portal adapt accordingly. The portal also supports the Windows High Contrast Mode (forced-colors: active) media query. All meaningful visual distinctions are conveyed through shape, text, and position as well as colour, so the portal remains usable in any contrast mode.
Every function available by mouse is also available by keyboard. The tab order follows the visual reading order. No keyboard traps exist. The shortcuts overlay (?) can be dismissed by clicking outside it or pressing ? again. The split-screen panel can be closed with Esc. All dropdown menus and overlays return focus to the triggering element when dismissed.
The portal uses semantic HTML elements (nav, main, footer, table, h1-h6) that provide meaningful structure to assistive technologies. Heading levels are used in logical order without skipping. ARIA roles and labels supplement native semantics where needed. Tables include proper header cells. The reading order in the DOM matches the visual order on screen.
The portal imposes no time limits on any interaction. There are no session timeouts, no auto-advancing carousels, no countdown timers, and no content that disappears after a set period. Users can take as long as they need to read, navigate, and process information. This is a critical adjustment for users with ADHD and cognitive disabilities who may need additional processing time. As required by WCAG 2.1 SC 2.2.1, where any time limit exists in a third-party component, controls are provided to extend or disable it.
The portal contains no flashing or strobing content. No element flashes more than three times per second. All animations are subtle transitions (opacity, position, border colour) that do not trigger photosensitive reactions. The portal respects the prefers-reduced-motion media query. Users who have enabled reduced motion in their operating system will see all animations disabled or minimised. This complies with WCAG 2.1 SC 2.3.1 (Three Flashes or Below Threshold).
The following design decisions were made specifically because the portal's creator and primary user has ADHD and ASD. They are not required by WCAG but represent best practice for neurodivergent accessibility.
| Feature | Barrier Addressed |
|---|---|
| Consistent layout across all pages | Reduces cognitive load from context-switching (ASD) |
| Persistent sidebar navigation | Prevents disorientation when navigating between pages (ADHD) |
| Monospace codes for exhibits and cases | Creates predictable visual anchors for scanning (ADHD) |
| Warm accent colour for key information | Draws attention without visual overload (ADHD) |
| Generous line height (2.0 in formal text) | Reduces line-tracking difficulty (ADHD, dyslexia) |
| Maximum content width of 680px | Prevents loss of reading position on wide screens (ADHD) |
| Scroll progress indicator | Provides sense of progress and position (ADHD) |
| Split-screen evidence panel | Prevents loss of context when cross-referencing (ADHD) |
| Cross-reference links at page bottom | Supports non-linear reading patterns (ASD, ADHD) |
| Muted, low-saturation colour palette | Reduces sensory overload (ASD) |
| No pop-ups, no auto-play, no interruptions | Prevents attention hijacking (ADHD) |
| Permanent URLs for every exhibit | Supports working memory deficits by enabling bookmarking (ADHD) |
| WCAG 2.1 Principle | Status | Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Perceivable | Compliant | Alt text, colour contrast, text resizing, no images of text |
| 2. Operable | Compliant | Keyboard access, no time limits, no flashing, skip links, focus visible |
| 3. Understandable | Compliant | Language declared, consistent navigation, error identification |
| 4. Robust | Compliant | Valid HTML, ARIA usage, progressive enhancement, semantic markup |
The Equality Act 2010 s.6 defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The Applicant's ADHD and ASD meet this definition.
Section 20 imposes a duty to make reasonable adjustments where a provision, criterion or practice puts a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage. Section 29 extends this duty to the provision of services, including the administration of justice.
The Public Sector Equality Duty (s.149) requires public bodies, including courts and tribunals, to have due regard to the need to advance equality of opportunity and eliminate discrimination.
This portal was built because the reasonable adjustments requested from the courts were either refused, ignored, or inadequately implemented. The Applicant's HMCTS Reasonable Adjustment Reference is 67862925. The portal itself serves as evidence of what accommodation looks like when it is taken seriously.
Relevant Authorities
If you encounter any accessibility barrier on this portal, please contact:
Michael Darius Eastwood
Litigant in Person
ADHD + ASD (Equality Act 2010 s.6)
michael@michaeldariuseastwood.com
Accessibility issues will be treated as priority defects and resolved promptly.
Last reviewed: March 2026