Courthouse accessibility: Improving participation in the legal system

Have you ever have gone to challenge a traffic ticket, testify in court, respond to a jury duty summons, or even support a friend involved in a trial? I think many people would agree that the courthouse environment can be anxiety producing and stressful. Now, imagine navigating this difficult environment while challenged with neurodivergences, mental health issues, language barriers, recent trauma, or dementia. Modifying the built environment for those unseen challenges is critical to improving participation in our legal system (Drapela, 2022). As an occupational therapist (OT), I was recently asked to assess the environment of an almost 300,000 square foot courthouse to meet the needs of a person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).