Learn how to create SRL content
This component is a hero banner. It has a short and, if possible, active page title that describes a task. This part is the hero subhead or description. It summarizes the content on the page and also appears in a search result if this page is indexed. Try to keep this to 2-4 lines if you can.
Guidelines for SRL content components
Structuring and styling text in SRL pages
Structuring and styling text in SRL pages
H2s divide the page into logical sections
H3s divide sections and highlight key messages
This is body text. For SRL content, we like to keep paragraphs of body text short. Paragraphs should communicate one primary concept at a time. It's common for SRL paragraphs to have 3-4 sentences in them, and then break.
Headers use sentence case
This means you don't capitalize the first letter of every word in a header, unless the word is a proper noun.
Headers don't use periods at the end
Even if they are a complete sentence.
Below is an example of a H3, H2, body typical flow.
Decide what to do
If you agree
You can do what the Notice says by the deadline. If you do, your landlord shouldn't start an eviction court case.
If you partly agree or disagree
Talk to your landlord before the deadline. If there's time, you can ask them to talk about the problem with a mediator - a person specially trained to help people agree. If you don't reach an agreement by the deadline, your landlord can start an eviction case in court.
If you do nothing
Your landlord might start an eviction case in court. If you lose, a sheriff can make you leave the home. And, the fact you were evicted can be on your credit record for 7 years.
Styling guidelines
Use sentence case for page titles and headers. This is lead text, by the way. We don't use it very often, but it can help if you have a short summary you want to give at the top of a page that's too long for a header but needs to be visually emphasized.
Use bold sparingly for emphasis
Use bold to emphasize terms and phrases (not italic, not underlined, or in quotes)
- Example: If the other person didn’t file a response in this case, their signature must be notarized. This means an official checks their ID and then has them sign the document in front of them.
- Example: Judges must base custody and visitation decisions on the best interests of the child.
Introduce new terms or difficult legal words in context
When possible, use a common term first, then provide the legal term in bold as an equivalent. Introduce words in context rather than formally defining them whenever possible.
- Example: You can ask the court to cancel (set aside) the decision
- Example: For common questions, you can use a list of standard questions created by the court (a form interrogatory) and check the boxes next to the questions you want the other person to answer.
References to court forms
To call out forms and link to them, use this convention: Name of form (form [NUMBER])
- Form Interrogatories – Family Law (form FL-145)
- Property Declaration (form FL-160)
After the first, full reference to the form, you can refer to the form in a shorthand way, using italics to indicate this is a reference to a form rather than a generic term.
- After you've filled out the Petition...
- File your Response within 30 days...
- Serve the Complaint...
Bulleted list styling
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Each list item begins with an upper-case letter
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List items have a parallel grammatical structure
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List items don’t have punctuation at the end unless the item has more than one sentence
Using quotes
Use quotes when quoting a word or phrase on a court form or describing the exact words to write on a form (or say to judge, for example, in a hearing).
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Example: Where it says "Attorney for," write “Self-represented.” This means you do not have a lawyer and represent yourself.
Creating links
Hyperlinks
You can link to another page with a hyperlink in the text. Use this when you want to keep the link in the context of the main text, when navigating to the other page is useful, but not essential for the process or path.
You can also use hyperlinks when buttons (below) don't work well for layout or page flow.
- Example: Some courts' Family Law Facilitators or Self-Help Centers offer workshops or even have one on one help to offer you information about how to prepare for your trial.
This should open in a new window
Navigation buttons
When links are used as navigation to another path or a common alternate path use “Button primary” styling. Label the button with a prompt and a clear message about where it's going.
Learn more about creating agreements
These can open in a new window, depending on what's appropriate for the flow.
To create a button, create a hyperlink first, then select a button style from the styles drop down menu.
External links
When linking to pages outside the SRL portal use “Button external” styling or a hyperlink, depending on the context.
These should always open in a new window.
Jump links
You can include jump links or anchor links on the top of a page to create an interactive table of contents and allow the user to quickly scan and jump to the topic they need. This is especially helpful on longer pages where the names of the items in the list are self-explanatory.
How to create jump links
Start creating an anchor by following the steps below:
- Place the cursor next to the text that will serve as the destination for the jump link.
- Click the anchor button on the formatting toolbar located in the hyperlink group.
3. Enter an id that is concise but descriptive of the selection.
- The id cannot contain spaces. Hyphens and underscores can help split up several words.
- The id must be unique to the page it is on and cannot be repeated.
4. Click ok
To link the anchor id to a header or section of content on the page, you can follow these steps:
Example:
Required forms
Local forms
Other forms
- Select the text that will serve as the jump-to link from the list of content on the page.
- Select the text (for example, "Required Forms").
- Select the insert hyperlink button on the formatting toolbar.
- Type the id of the jump link into the URL box. Preface it with a # symbol to indicate that the link is an id attribute on the page.
- For example, (#requiredforms)
4. Click save
Content templates
Content templates are design elements that make the content more readable, less dense, and more targeted to SRLs with different needs. Create content templates in any body text field by selecting the icon in the editing toolbar that looks like a piece of paper.
Get detailed how-to documentation for each content template
Details allow you to layer content that may not be of interest to all users. The information appears only when the user clicks, so if the SRL doesn't have this question, they can easily skip it.
Details are designed to address less common but important exceptions or variations. They call the SRLs attention to the exception with some information – a "heads up," - usually followed by "Learn more" prompt.
If x, then y. Learn more
Are you in situation x? You may y. Learn more
In some situations x is true. Learn more
Question details are clickable question-answer pairs.
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They anticipate and address common questions
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Think of them as addressing the "anxious ifs" that might come up for SRLs
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They are phrased in the voice of the SRL rather than the voice of the court
Question details often begin with "What if...?" or "What about...?"
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EXAMPLE
You can visually emphasize a concrete example using the Example content template. These are available in 1 and 2 column layouts. It's helpful to distinguish examples (a specific to situation or case type, or with information like dollar amounts or dates) from general how-to content or what the law says.
List groups
List groups are useful when you have a group of related items that need more explanation than a simple bulleted list would allow. Here's an example:
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Use for categories
Make category and group relationships more clear than you might be able to do in a paragraph of prose.
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Use to give detail
Provide more detail than a simple bulleted list would allow.
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Use for brief options
Give a list of equally valid choices with an explanation for each.
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Use parallel style for each bullet
Make sure the bold statements that are bulleted are parallel, brief, and without punctuation. Then use complete sentences for the explanation. (This bullet almost breaks that rule since the bullets look parallel, but aren't exactly parallel.)
Option lists
Option lists allow you to show TWO equally valid or equally likely choices or outcomes or to address a variation that is more likely than a rare exception or outlier. You can select a two-column Option List from the content templates to have the items appear next to each other or a one-column Option List to have the items stack. Below is an example of a two-column option list.
Types of paragraphs
Paragraphs are large page components - larger than content templates - you add in Drupal at the page level (not in the WYSIWYG editor like content templates).
This is an accordion container
Choose the "Accordion" paragraph type at the bottom of the page. Use the "Add Accordion" button inside the paragraph type to add individual accordion components.
Accordions are useful when you have multiple possible options, scenarios, or conditions that are equally likely or possible and you want the user to be able to easily browse them and choose one or more based on short descriptions.
Step containers: How to create step-by-step instructions
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Choose the Step Container paragraph type
Step containers have automated numeric steps with a name for each step and a WYSIWYG editor for a description of the step.
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Add as many steps as you need to describe the task
Keep in mind that if a task has a lot of steps (more than about 7), it may actually be more than one task.
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Keep steps short when possible
A step usually has a few sentences as a description, up to 2-3 paragraphs.
Yes! Content templates - especially details like this one and alerts - are a good way to layer, lighten, and emphasize content inside steps if they aren't relevant for all users or need to be called out.
Case type
What's next?
This is an example of a paragraph type called a switchboard. This specific configuration is how we use switchboards to create the "What's next?" navigation panel at the bottom of most SRL step-by-step pages. Switchboards always have tiles that are navigational elements.
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Go back to an overview
The What's next panel usually has a link to go back to a relevant overview and start the flow from the beginning.
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Go to the next step
The What's next panel usually has a link to go to the next step in the flow.
brow
More switchboard configurations
Tiles can use either a 3 or 4 across configuration. The title of the tile usually is a short verb phrase that describes the task the user will get instructions to complete. Sometimes a tile title can be the name of a topic or concept.
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Include body text
This body text can elaborate on the title, but it's not a place to describe anything in detail. Be careful to not make this text too long. It will make the tiles different heights and create weird looking switchboards like this one. DId you also notice how this tile has a different icon? It's called "Large right arrow."
This is a two column layout
First column
A two-column layout isn't common in SRL content, but it can be a helpful way to break up information, especially at the bottom of a page.
Second column
These work best if the amount of information in the first column is about equal to the amount of information in the second column.
You can add a text field as a paragraph type
This is handy if you just need a space for a header and any kind of text on the page after you've created another kind of paragraph component.
This is a complete bar. We usually use these when we come to the very end of the task where the SRL doesn't have any additional actions. Use a Complete paragraph type and keep the text to a couple sentences.
Media
Icons
Illustrations
Video
You can embed videos hosted on YouTube in SRL pages. Here's how:
- Find the video on YouTube.
- Select "Share" at the bottom of the YouTube video and copy the URL displayed in the dialog box.
- Find the place you want the video to appear on the SRL page and (in the WYSIWYG editor) select the Media icon. (Icon showing picture and music notes).
- Select "Remote Video" from the menu on the left. Paste the URL you copied from YouTube into the field at the top of the dialog box and provide alt text.
- Select "Save and Insert"
- The video should appear in the WYSIWYG
- Select "Edit media" and choose "None" for alignment.
If you want the content to continue on the page after the video, open the WYSIWYG editor in full-screen mode (select the crossed arrows on the right) and mouse over the video until you see the red "line break" symbol.
Tables
Use tables judiciously, keeping in mind that complex tables are difficult to read on mobile devices.
Tables are good solutions for content that:
- Describes multiple if/then or conditional relationships
- Shows a comparison between aspects of two or more concepts
How to create a table
To insert a table, select the table icon from the WYSIWYG top menu and select the number of rows and columns.
For accessibility, every table needs to have at least one header row. You can choose to add a header to either the first row or first column (or both) by choosing a header style from the dropdown menu when you first create the table.
| Header row | Header row |
|---|---|
| It has bold text | It has blue shading |
| It has bold text | It has blue shading |
Whenever possible, structure tables to use no more than 3 columns, 2 columns when the table contains a lot of text.
If/then table example
| If the person you need to serve | Follow these rules |
|---|---|
| Lives in another country | You must follow special rules to serve someone in another country. Often, the U.S. and that country have agreements about how you can serve someone in that country. For example, if the person is in Mexico you must follow the Hague Convention or the Inter-American Convention to do service. The process is complicated. |
| Lives on a military base or is serving overseas | If they're stationed in the United States, your server can deliver the papers to them when they're not on the military base. If they're on base, their commanding officer may be able to arrange for service of the papers. Contact the military base to find out their rules. If they're not in the United States, you will need to follow other rules. The process is complicated. |
| Lives in another state (in the US) | You can do basic personal service or service by mail with Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt. You may also be able to serve them by certified mail with a return receipt requested. |
Comparison table example
The table below has a caption, which shows up as centered in the editor, but left-aligned in the page view. You can specify a caption when you create the table.
| Domestic violence restraining order | For protection from people you were involved with romantically at some point or close family members |
|---|---|
| Civil harassment restraining order | For protection from neighbors, roommates, coworkers, or more distant family members like cousins, uncles/aunts |
| Workplace violence restraining order |
Filed by an employer to protect an employee from violence, stalking, or harassment by another person |
At-a-glance comparison table example
For an at-a-glance comparison table, you can use more columns if the text in each column is short (yes or no, for example) and context is provided elsewhere on the page.
| Taco | Meat | Beans | Salsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollo | Chicken | Pinto | Chipotle |
| Veggie | Tofu | Black | Verde |
| Pescado | Cod | None | Mango |
Tables versus other content components
- If you are only comparing two things (especially if you have an if/then relationship), consider the Option list from the content templates instead of a table
- If you need to display a lot of content for each item, consider the Accordion paragraph type instead
- If you want users to be able to browse for what is relevant to them and not necessarily see content for all of the options, consider the Accordion paragraph type instead
- If you don't have parallel information types for each item, consider the List group from the content templates. This allows you to highlight items with bullets and add commentary or detail under each one.