Frequently asked Qs

• What are the key points?
  • There are different reasons you may want to complain about the court system. For example, you may feel that the court did not follow the rules. Or you may be unhappy with how a judge behaved.
  • There are different processes for complaining. The process you need will depend on what you are unhappy with.  
  • There are time limits if you want to complain.
  • If you are not happy with how a court deals with your complaint, you can ask for it to be reviewed. You can go to other organisations such as the Ombudsman if you are still unhappy with the result.
  • If you want to challenge the outcome of your court case this is called an appeal. This is different to making a complaint.
  • You may be able to get help with making a complaint about the court. This can include asking a friend or relative, using an advocacy service or contacting your MP.
• Why might I want to complain?

  You can make a complaint if you are unhappy with your court experience. There are 4 different complaint processes to use, depending on what you are unhappy about. These processes are explained in this information. 

  The things you might want to complain about are:

  • court facilities, court services or administrative problems,
  • the behaviour of a judge or magistrate,
  • a court decision, or
  • your solicitor.

  If you would like to complain about your care and treatment in hospital, you can use the NHS complaints procedure. A court may have sent you to hospital.

  On our webpage on Complaining about the NHS or social services you can find more information. 

• What information should I put in my complaint?

  Depending on what you are complaining about, you can include information in your complaint on things like. 

  • The court in question.
  • What happened.
  • How it affected you.
  • Where it happened.
  • When it happened.
  • What people were involved.
  • If there was any damage or injury.
  • Details of any witnesses.
  • Your case reference number.
  • What you would like to see as an outcome of your complaint.
• How do I complain about court facilities, services, security or administrative problems?

  The HM Courts & Tribunal Service complaints procedure covers the court facilities, court services, security, and administrative problems.  This includes staff at the court, other than judges and magistrates.

  Who do I complain to?
  You can either complain online at Gov.UK 

  Or you can complain directly to the court you are complaining about.  You can do this in person, by phone, in writing or online. 

  What happens after I complain?
  The court should look at your complaint and get back to you within 10 working days.  

  The outcome of your complaint could mean the following things happen:

  • You get an apology
  • A change to policy or process
  • Disciplinary action for staff involved
  • The court does not agree with you, and they explain why

  What if I am unhappy with the response from the court?

  Ask for a review
  If you are not happy with the reply to your complaint or the way it was handled, you can ask for a review. You should explain why you are not satisfied. The court should aim to reply within 10 working days.

  Ask the Customer Investigation Team to look at your complaint again
  If you are not satisfied with the review, you can ask the court’s Customer Investigations Team to look at your complaint. The senior manager dealing with your review can provide details on how to do this. The Team should aim to reply to your appeal within 15 working days.

  Contact your MP
  You can contact your MP if you are not happy with the outcome of your appeal. Your MP can refer your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to investigate. 

  If you have a problem with a court, your MP must contact the ombudsman for you.

  If your complaint is about healthcare  or you are a victim of crime,  you can contact the ombudsman yourself. 

  The PHSO are completely independent from the court.

  How do I find out who my MP is?
  You can find out who your local MP is on the Parliament website.

  Or you can contact the House of Commons Enquiry Service on 020 7219 4272. 

  The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
  The PHSO makes final decisions on complaints about government organisations.
   
  Phone: 0345 015 4033 
  Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk 

• When can I complain about a judge or magistrate?

  You can complain if you are unhappy with a judge or magistrate’s: 

  • behaviour,
  • language, or
  • conduct.

  You must make your complaint within 3 months of the incident happening. This can be extended in exceptional circumstances.

• How do I complain about a judge?

  Who do I complain to?

  You can complain to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO).

  You can complain to the JCIO about the following people:

  • Deputy District Judge
  • District Judge
  • High Court Judge
  • Circuit Judge
  • Master
  • Recorder
  • Coroner or Assistant Coroner
  • Lord Justice

  How do I complain?

  You can make a complaint to the JCIO by writing to them or using their online portal. Their details are below. 

  Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO)

  Address: Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, 81-82 Queens Building, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, WC2A 2LL
  Email: www.complaints.judicialconduct.gov.uk/contact-us/
  Website: www.complaints.judicialconduct.gov.uk 
  Online complaints portal: www.complaints.judicialconduct.gov.uk/

  What do I include in my complaint?

  The JCIO requires you to be detailed in your complaint. It asks that you give specific examples rather than general overviews. You can find out more information on what to include in your complaint on the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office website.

  What happens when I complain? 

  The JCIO should:

  • Let you know they got your complaint within 2 working days
  • Look at your complaint and aim to get back to you in 15 working days
  • If they can not accept your complaint they will tell you why. They should do this within 15 working days.
  • Give you an update on your complaint every 4 weeks
  • Write to you, explaining the outcome, following their investigation. They aim to do this within 20 weeks.
  • Tell you how to contact the Judicial Appointments & Conduct Ombudsman if you think that they have mishandled your complaint
  • Try to direct you to other organisations that may be able to help if they are unable to help you.

  If they agree with your complaint, they can take disciplinary action against the judge or other person. 

  This will not change the decision of your court case. If you want to change the outcome of your case, you may be able to appeal.  See ‘How do I complain about a magistrate?’ for more information on this.

• Anna's story

  Anna’s solicitor told the judge about how Anna’s mental health affects her. Anna finds it difficult to process lots of information at once and communicate with people. Her symptoms are more difficult to deal with in stressful situations.

  The judge ignored the information and asked Anna several questions at once.  And got angry when she did not answer.

  The judge’s behaviour could be unfair. They could have asked Anna one question at a time and given her time to process the information. This would have helped her to answer the questions.

• What if I am unhappy with how the JCIO handled my complaint?

  You can complain to the Judicial Appointment and Conduct Ombudsman (JACO) about how the JCIO has handled a complaint. JCIO stands for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office. See ‘How do I complain about a judge?’ for more information.  

  The JACO do not comment on the final decision. They look at the way the JCIO handled your complaint. This can include delay, rudeness, wrong advice, refusing to answer questions or treating you unfairly.  

  The JACO can:

  • ask the JCIO to re-investigate your complaint, if appropriate,
  • recommend changes to procedures to try and stop the same issue from happening again, or
  • advise that compensation should be paid. They may do this if they think that you have suffered because of maladministration. Maladministration means lots of things such as delay, bad procedures. It can also mean being given misleading advice or not being told about your rights.

  You need to make your complaint within 28 days of the final letter that you received from the JCIO.  

  How do I contact JACO?

  You can write to them or use their online complaints form. Their details are below. 

  Judicial Appointments & Conduct Ombudsman

  Address: Postal point 1.55, 1st Floor, the Tower, 102 Petty France,
  London SW1H 9AJ
  Email: Headofoffice@judicialombudsman.gov.uk 
  Website
  Online complaints form

• How do I complain about a magistrate?

  You need to complain to the local Advisory Committee.  

  How do I find out who my Advisory Committee is?
  Your local magistrates’ court can give you the contact details for your local Advisory Committee.

  What happens when I complain?
  The Advisory Committee will assess your complaint. If they think you have a serious complaint about a magistrate’s conduct or behaviour, they will investigate your complaint.  

  The Advisory Committee can take disciplinary action against the magistrate, such as suspending them.   

  They can only deal with complaints about a magistrate’s conduct or behaviour. If your complaint is about something else, they will not be able to help. They will explain this to you. 

  If the Advisory Committee thinks your complaint is less serious, they may not investigate it themselves. Instead, they may refer it to the Bench Chair to deal with. 

  Who is the Bench Chair?
  The Bench Chair is the leader of the magistrates in the local area.  

  The Bench Chair will tell you and the Advisory Committee when your complaint has been dealt with. If they agree with your complaint the Bench Chair can take action. For example, they might ask the magistrate to change their behaviour in the future.  

  Is there a time limit for complaining? 
  You must complain within 3 months of the incident.  The time limit can only be extended if you have a good reason for missing the deadline.  

  What if I am unhappy with how the Advisory Committee handled my complaint?
  You can complain to the Judicial Appointment and Contact Ombudsman.
  You must complain within 28 days of the Advisory Committee answering your complaint.

  You can find their contact details in ‘What if I am unhappy with how the JCIO handled my complaint?’

• How can I appeal a court decision?

  If you are unhappy about a judge or magistrate’s decision you can appeal it. 

  You might be able appeal the following decisions.

  • Your conviction. This is when you have been found guilty of a crime.
  • Your sentence. This is the punishment that you are given for a crime. 

  It is important to be aware that if your appeal fails: 

  • the court may change your original sentence or conviction, and
  • make you pay the court costs.

  An appeal hearing can go ahead even if you do not attend.  

  You can seek advice from a solicitor before you appeal. Appealing your sentence or conviction can be very costly. A solicitor will tell you if you have a good case.  

  The Law Society can help you find a solicitor. 

  The Law Society 

  Phone: 020 7320 5650
  Website

  How do I appeal a magistrates’ court decision? 
  You can appeal your conviction, sentence, or both if you pleaded not guilty at your trial. If you pleaded guilty, you can usually only appeal against your sentence. 

  Appeals from a magistrates’ court will normally go to the Crown Court. The Crown Court will then decide if they will hear your case.

  You must send your appeal within 15 working days of being sentenced. If you are late, you will need to ask for permission to extend the deadline.

  You can get more information about when a case will go to the Crown Court at Gov.UK. It includes a form that you can download to help you write your appeal.

  Send the completed form to the magistrates’ court that made the decision.

  How do I appeal against a Crown Court decision? 
  You can appeal your conviction, sentence, or both, whether you pleaded guilty or not guilty.

  You must first apply to the Court of Criminal Division for permission to appeal. 

  You may find it helpful to speak to a legal advisor before you apply. They can help you decide if you are likely to be successful. 

  You must apply within 28 days of your conviction or sentence.

  If you are late, you will need to explain why and may still be allowed to appeal.

  Court of Appeal Criminal Division
  Phone: 020 7947 6011
  Address: Criminal Appeal Office, Court of Appeal, Royal Courts of
  Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL
  Email: generaloffice@criminaappealoffice.justice.gov.uk  
  Website

  What happens if I have already appealed and I was unsuccessful?  
  You can contact the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). They may be able to help you.  

  They are an independent public body that investigates serious mistakes in criminal cases. This means that they do not work for the police, courts, prosecution service, or government.

  You can ask them for help if you have lost an appeal and think your conviction or sentence was wrong.

  If they find something important, they can send your case back to the Court of Appeal.

  Criminal Cases Review Commission
  Telephone: 0300 456 2669 
  Address: 23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, B2 4BH
  Phone: 0300 456 2669
  Email: info@ccrc.gov.uk 
  Website

  What happens if I change my mind about my appeal?

  You can withdraw your appeal at any time before your court date.  You need to fill out a notice of abandonment of appeal form.

  You can find more information on our following webpages:

  •  Criminal courts and mental health
  • Legal advice – Getting help from a solicitor
• How can I complain about my solicitor?

  If you have an issue with your solicitor, you should try to sort it by speaking to them first. You can also write to them or someone else in the firm. But if that does not work you can make a complaint if you want to.

  How can I complain about poor service?

  If you want to complain about poor service, to begin with you should complain directly to the solicitor’s practice.  All solicitors have a procedure for handling complaints. 

  If you have finished the practice’s complaints process and still feel unhappy you can contact the Legal Ombudsman. They can look into your solicitor’s response and try to resolve your complaint.  

  You can write to the Legal Ombudsman or use their online complaints form. Their contact details are below. 

  Legal Ombudsman

  Phone: 0300 555 0333. 
  Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk 
  Website 
  Online complaint form

  How can I complain about a solicitor’s behaviour?

  You can complain to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) when solicitors do things like: 

  • tell lies,
  • steal from you,
  • shut down their practice without telling you, or
  • break their rules.

  They take any necessary action against solicitors. 

  If you complain about a solicitor to the Legal Ombudsman, they might report the solicitor to the SRA, if appropriate.

  They will do this if they think the solicitor has breached the SRA principles or code of conduct. 

  But you can also report the solicitor directly to the SRA. Do this if you think the solicitor has breached the SRA principles or code of conduct. 

  You can read more about the SRA principles and code of conduct on the Solicitors Regulation Authority website.

  You can get information about how to report the solicitor to the SRA. Please scroll down to the heading, ‘How to report a solicitor or firm to the SRA.

  You can find more information about problems with solicitors on the Solicitors Regulation Authority website. 

• Can someone help me to complain?

  You may be able to get help to complain from: 

  • a friend or relative,
  • an advocacy service, or
  • your Member of Parliament (MP), 

  Friend or relative

  You can ask a friend or relative to help you make a complaint. They can help by: 

  • giving you information about how the complaints process works,
  • helping you to write the complaint
  • finding out who to send the complaint to, and
  • helping you to monitor the progress of the complaint. 

  You can also ask a friend or relative to make the complaint for you. You will need to write down that you are happy for them to do this.   

  Advocacy services

  You might be detained in hospital under a forensic section of the Mental Health Act, such as section 37. An Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) may be able to help you.  This type of advocate will exist in all areas of England.  You can ask the staff in the hospital if you want to see an IMHA.

  Even if you are not detained under the Mental Health Act, you may be able to get support. You can ask a community advocate for help with understanding your rights or speaking up. But they will not exist in all areas of England. 

  On our webpage on Advocacy for mental health – Making your voice heard you can find more information

  Member of Parliament (MP)

  You could ask your local MP to help you make a complaint. 

  You can find out who your local MP is on the Parliament website. 

  Or you can contact the House of Commons Enquiries Service on 0800 112 4272.

• Further reading

  Criminal legal aid means testing
  Calculator to help you to work out if you qualify for legal aid.

  Website: www.gov.uk/guidance/criminal-legal-aid-means-testing  

  Criminal Procedure Rules: Forms
  Download forms relating to the courts including appeals and complaints. 

  Website: www.gov.uk/guidance/criminal-procedure-rules-forms 

• Useful contacts

  House of Commons Enquiry Service 
  Provides public access to facts about Parliament and MPs.

  Phone: 0800 112 4272.
  Email: hcenquiries@parliament.uk 
  Address: House of Commons Enquiry Service, London, SW14 0AA
  Website: www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/commons/house-of-commons-enquiries-service/contact-us/

   

  Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
  The PHSO makes final decisions on complaints about government organisations.
   
  Phone: 0345 015 4033
  Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk 
  Address: Parliamentary and Health Service  Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP 
  Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

   

  Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO)
  This is a government body that handles complaints about judges and the court staff mentioned above.

  Address: Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, 81-82 Queens Building, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, WC2A 2LL
  Email: www.complaints.judicialconduct.gov.uk/contact-us/ 
  Website: www.complaints.judicialconduct.gov.uk  

   

  Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman (JACO)
  Investigates complaints about the JCIO

  Address: Postal point 1.55, 1st Floor, the Tower, 102 Petty France,
  London SW1H 9AJ
  Email: Headofoffice@judicialombudsman.gov.uk  
  Website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/judicial-appointments-and-conduct-ombudsman

   

  The Law Society 
  Can help you find a solicitor. 

  Phone: 020 7320 5650
  Address: The Law Society's Hall, 113 Chancery Lane, London,  WC2A 1PL
  Email: Online form on website 
  Website: www.lawsociety.org.uk   

   

  Court of Appeal Criminal Division
  Investigates complaints against the Crown Court

  Phone: 020 7947 6011
  Address: Criminal Appeal Office, Court of Appeal, Royal Courts of
  Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL
  Email: generaloffice@criminalappealoffice.justice.gov.uk  
  Website: www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals/court-of-appeal-criminal-division 

   

  Criminal Cases Review Commission
  Investigates serious mistakes in criminal cases. You may want to contact them if you have been unsuccessful in an appeal. 

  Phone: 0300 456 2669 
  Address: 23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, B2 4BH
  Phone: 0300 456 2669
  Email: info@ccrc.gov.uk  
  Website: www.ccrc.gov.uk

   

  Legal Ombudsman
  The Legal Ombudsman is independent and can look into complaints about solicitors. You must complain to your solicitor first. If you are unhappy with their response, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman for help.

  Phone: 0300 555 0333. 
  Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk  
  Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk  

   

  Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS) 
  Gives information and advice on discrimination and human rights

  Phone: 0808 800 0082 
  Address: FREEPOST EASS HELPLINE FPN6521
  Email: Online form www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/app/ask  
  Website, including webchat service: www.equalityadvisoryservice.com 

  
  The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
  A government organisation that can pay money to people who have been physically or mentally injured because they were the blameless victim of a violent crime. 

  Phone: 0300 003 3601
  Relay: 18001 0300 003 3601
  Address: 10 Clyde Place, Buchanan Wharf, Glasgow, G5 8AQ
  Website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/criminal-injuries-compensation-authority 

   

  Prisoner’s Advice Service (PAS)
  The Prisoners' Advice Service helps prisoners understand their rights and how to make complaints. They can give free legal advice if you think a court or prison treated you unfairly.

  Phone: 020 7253 3323
  Address: Prisoners’ Advice Service, PO Box 46199, London, EC1M 4XA
  Email (webform): www.prisonersadvice.org.uk/about/contact/ 
  Website: www.prisonersadvice.org.uk