Complaints About Judicial Misconduct or Disability
Complaints about judicial misconduct or disability are separate from the federal trial and appellate court process. You may file a complaint against a judge if you believe the judge (1) committed misconduct that is “prejudicial to the effective and expeditious administration of the business of the courts,” or (2) is experiencing a disability that interferes with the performance of their judicial duties. This process is not available to challenge a judge’s decision. Instead, the proper procedure is to file an appeal if you think the judge’s decision is wrong.
Please read and follow the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act, 28 U.S.C. §§ 351–364, the Rules for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings (the “General Rules”), and the Ninth Circuit Local Rules for Misconduct Proceedings (the “Local Rules”) before you file a judicial misconduct or disability complaint.
Most complaints are rejected or dismissed because they do not follow the rules, or they do not provide evidence to support the allegations made in the complaint. Before you file a complaint, make sure you understand the purpose of this complaint process, the type of conduct it addresses, and the procedure it requires.
Before You File a Complaint
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Use the right form.
You must use the official Ninth Circuit Complaint Form, or clearly list the names of all the judges you're complaining about on the first page. -
Keep it short.
Your Statement of Facts (describing what happened) must be no more than 5 pages on regular single-sided 8.5x11 paper. -
You need objective verifiable proof.
You must explain what the judge did, how it violates Rule 4 of the General Rules, and provide evidence that supports your claims. Your opinion that the judge ruled incorrectly or acted in a hostile manner is not enough. -
This complaint process cannot change anything about your original case or its outcome.
This process cannot change the outcome of your case, give you a new judge, decide anything related to your original case, award money or other legal help, or be used to appeal a judge’s decision. -
Only federal judges.
You can only file complaints about active federal judges in the Ninth Circuit — not about court staff, lawyers, politicians, deceased or retired judges, or state court judges. -
Don’t misuse the system.
If you file lots of complaints that don’t follow the rules, you may be blocked from filing complaints in the future.
Mailing Address for Complaints and Inquiries
To submit your complaint, receive information about the judicial misconduct process, or inquire about your submission, you must send your written correspondence to:
Mailing address
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Office of the Circuit Executive
Attn: Judicial Misconduct
P.O. Box 193939
San Francisco, CA 94119-3939
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All complaints and inquiries must be submitted in paper form to the address given above. Complaints submitted by telephone or electronically will not be processed or accepted.
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The judicial misconduct office is separate from the main Court of Appeals, so the Court of Appeals front desk and clerk’s office cannot help with misconduct questions or complaints.
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If you file a misconduct complaint on your Court of Appeals case docket, it will not be processed or accepted.