Interactive walkthrough of a British courthouse | BBK

Unequal Access to Justice: Courthouses

Unless you work in law or are attending jury duty, you’ll likely never have to go to court. For those that do, it may be because you’re trying to get justice for something that happened to you. Unfortunately, the experience of going to court can be distressing. Many of our clients feel anxious, nervous or overwhelmed at the prospect, and it’s easy to see why.

We created this interactive tool to give you an insight into the court process. We outline some of the issues you might face at each stage, with a focus on people who have specific accessibility issues. We cover issues for people with mobility needs, any kind of disability whether visible or hidden, and those with caring responsibilities. It’s crafted based on our experiences guiding clients through court and the feedback we’ve had from them, as well as insights from our charity partners. We hope it helps you face court with confidence.

Disabilities explanation
  • Physical disabilities include wheelchair users, people with limited mobility and people with non-freezing cold injuries.
  • Deaf or blind also includes people with partial sight or hearing.
  • Learning disabilities include special educational needs and other developmental disorders caused by genetic factors, infections and brain damage. It excludes hidden disabilities.
  • Hidden disabilities include language impairments such as stammering, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and attention deficit disorder. It also includes people with stoma bags. It excludes mental health issues.
  • Mental health issues include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, schizophrenia and other personality disorders. It also includes PTSD.