How to ask for a disability accommodation

If you have a disability or limitation and need an accommodation while in court, you can call or go to court and ask the ADA coordinator for one, or you can turn in a form to the ADA coordinator.

 

This page has instructions on how to fill out and turn in the form, called Disability Accommodation Request (form MC-410). 

Before you start

  • 📅 Turn in your request at least 5 court days before you need the accommodation.
    • A court day is a day that court is open, Monday through Friday not including court holidays ↗️ (link opens in a new tab).
    • If that's not possible, you can still turn in the request but it may be harder for the court to meet the request.
  • The request for accommodation is a confidential form.
    • The form is given to the ADA coordinator.
    • If you file court documents online, called e-filing, do not include it with your other public filings.

⚠️ Some courts have their own process for requesting an accommodation. You can use Find my court ↗️ to go to the court's website and look under "ADA" for information about the local process.

This guide ↗️ explains how attorneys—like public defenders, legal aid lawyers, and others—can ask for disability accommodations or make changes to help clients with disabilities or who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

How to ask for a disability accommodation

↗️ All links below open in a new tab so you don’t lose your place.

  • Fill out form

    1. Fill out page 1 of Disability Accommodation Request (form MC-410) ↗️
      • It asks for information the court needs to understand your request 
      • Do not fill out page 2
    2. Sign at the bottom of page 1
    3. The court will write its decision on page 2

    📘 Get more detailed instructions in How to Request a Disability Accommodation for Court (form MC-410-INFO) ↗️.

    This information sheet is also available in:

  • Turn in the form

    Turn in the form to the court's ADA coordinator or other designated person.

    • Contact the court to find out how to turn in your request.
    • You can usually submit your request in person, by mail, email, or fax.

  • Get the court's response

    • The court will respond to your request either in person, by pone, by mail or by email.
      • The decision will be on page 2 of the request.
    • If your request was not granted, the court's response will explain why.

    You can find information about how to ask for a review of a denial in California Rule of Court 1.100(g) ↗️. (This law is written for lawyers and may be hard to understand.)

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