Legal
Accessibility statement
Last updated
This site is built to be usable with a screen reader, a keyboard alone, at large text sizes and on a small screen. This page says what we build to, what we have checked, and what to do if some part of it does not work for you.
The short version
- We build to WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the standard courts and federal agencies generally point to.
- We are not going to tell you the site is perfect. No honest website makes that claim.
- If something here does not work for you, call us and we will deal with your matter directly. Nothing on this site is something you have to use to reach the firm.
The standard we build to
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, version 2.1, at Level AA. It is the benchmark referenced under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the one the Department of Justice has pointed to, and it is what this site is measured against.
We aim to meet it throughout. We do not claim the site conforms at every point on every page, because no site that changes can honestly promise that, and a statement that overclaims is worth less than one that does not.
What has actually been checked
Every page on this site was tested, not a sample. The checks covered page structure and landmarks, heading order, alternative text on images, titles on embedded content, labels on every form field, link text that makes sense out of context, table headers, keyboard focus, and color contrast measured from the real palette rather than estimated by eye.
Specific things that are true as a result:
- Keyboard. Everything that can be clicked can be reached and operated with a keyboard, and the focus outline is visible wherever you are. A skip link at the top of each page jumps past the navigation.
- Contrast. Body text sits at about 15:1 against its background, well above the 4.5:1 the standard asks for. Body and link text meet the 4.5:1 AA floor.
- Text size. Nothing is locked to a fixed size. You can enlarge the text in your browser or your operating system and the layout reflows rather than breaking.
- Images. Every image carries alternative text.
- Motion. There is no autoplaying video, no carousel and no animation that moves on its own. If your device asks for reduced motion, this site honors it.
- Tables. The tables of fines, points and deadlines have proper headers, and on a narrow screen they restack rather than forcing you to scroll sideways through a grid.
- Touch. Buttons are at least 48 pixels tall and other tap targets at least 44, which is the size guidance for people who cannot tap precisely.
Where it may still fall short
Being specific about this is more useful than a general disclaimer.
- We have not commissioned an independent audit. The testing described above is our own. It is thorough and it is not the same thing as a third-party review.
- Automated testing has limits. It catches missing labels and bad contrast. It cannot tell you whether a page makes sense when read aloud in order, and that judgment is ours.
- The embedded maps are Google's. Three pages carry a map. We do not control how it behaves with assistive technology, which is why every office address and phone number is also written out as plain text next to the map, and why no map is ever the only way to get that information.
- We link to court and government documents we did not write. Some are PDFs on state websites. We link them so a legal claim can be checked, and we have no control over how accessible those documents are. If you need something from one of them, call us and we will read it to you or send you the substance in another form.
- The site changes. Pages get added and figures get updated as the law moves. Something that passed in August can be broken by a later edit. That is what the reporting route below is for.
We have not installed an accessibility overlay
These are the widgets that add a floating icon promising to make a site accessible automatically. We deliberately do not use one. Many screen reader users report that overlays interfere with the software they already have set up the way they want, and the National Federation of the Blind has been openly critical of them.
Building the underlying pages properly is slower and it is the thing that actually works. Your own screen reader, magnifier or browser settings will work on this site without anything from us getting in the way.
If something here does not work for you
Tell us and we will fix it. It is useful to know what page you were on, what you were trying to do, and what device, browser or assistive technology you were using, though please do not let missing any of that stop you from getting in touch.
(315) 698-9630 (Cicero) · (607) 299-4796 (Cortland) · contactus@cdlfpllc.com
We aim to respond within two business days. If the problem is stopping you from reaching us about a legal matter, say so and we will deal with the legal matter first and the website second.
Other ways to reach us
This is the part that matters most, and it is the reason a website problem should never cost you anything. You do not have to use this site to work with this firm.
Both offices take phone calls and walk-ins during business hours. If coming to an office is difficult, say so when you call. If you need documents in large print, or read to you over the phone, or explained rather than sent, ask. If you use a relay service, use it, and calls through it are answered the same way any other call is.
New York courts have their own accessibility procedures, including for interpreters and accommodations at a hearing. If your matter involves a court appearance and you need an accommodation there, raise it with us early, because some of it has to be requested in advance.
Keeping this true
Accessibility is checked as part of building this site rather than as a review afterwards, and the checks described above run against every page each time the site is built. When this statement changes, the date at the top changes with it.