Complaints About Judicial Misconduct
The government has set up a way for people to file complaints about how federal judges behave – but not about the decisions they make in cases. There are special rules you must follow, or your complaint will be rejected.
Most complaints are rejected or dismissed because they don’t follow the rules. Before you file, make sure you understand what this process can and can’t do.
This process can't :
-
Change the outcome of your case
-
Give you a new judge
-
Cancel a judge’s decision or order
-
Award money or other legal help
-
Be used to appeal a judge’s decision
If you're upset because you lost your case or didn’t like the judge’s ruling, this is not the way to challenge it. You may need to file an appeal instead. An attorney can help you with that.
Your complaint will be dismissed if:
-
It’s only about a legal ruling you disagree with
-
You don’t include proof of judicial misconduct
-
You say a judge was unfair just because they ruled against you
The Judicial Council only reviews complaints about a judge’s behavior, not their decisions in court. They can’t step into your case or give you courtroom help.
Before You File a Complaint
-
Use the right form.
You must use the Ninth Circuit complaint form [link], or clearly list the names of all the judges you're complaining about on the first page. -
Keep it short.
Your statement of what happened must be no more than 5 pages (about 1,200 words) on regular 8.5x11 paper. -
You need real proof.
You must explain what the judge did and why it was wrong. Just being unhappy with the judge’s decision is not enough. -
This is not a way to fix your case.
This process cannot change the outcome of your case, give you a new judge, or decide anything related to your original case. -
Only federal judges.
You can only file complaints about federal judges — not about court staff, lawyers, or state judges. -
Don’t misuse the system.
If you file lots of complaints that don’t follow the rules, you may be blocked from filing more in the future.
Need help?
Before writing, please check the guidelines and on this website—most questions are answered here.
If you have questions about the judicial misconduct process, you must send them by mail only. The court does not answer questions by phone or email.
Send your letter to:
Attn: Judicial Misconduct
P.O. Box 193939
San Francisco, CA 94119
You’ll get a reply by mail within about 14 days after we receive your letter.
If you’ve already mailed a complaint, please wait 14 to 21 days before checking. You’ll get a letter in the mail with your docket number once your complaint is processed. If you don’t get a confirmation letter within 21 days, it likely means we didn’t receive your complaint. You should mail it again.