Complaints about judges — the JCIO route and its strict limits

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-30

If a judge's personal conduct was unacceptable — rudeness, shouting, bias in their behaviour, inappropriate comments, excessive delay in producing a judgment — you can complain to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO). But you cannot use the complaints process to challenge a judge's decision. This guide explains the boundary and the process. It is general information, not legal advice.

The critical distinction

| Complaint type | Right route | |---|---| | The judge decided the case wrongly (law, evidence, outcome) | Appeal (permission required, tight deadlines) — not a complaint | | The judge managed the case unfairly but no misconduct | Appeal, or in some cases judicial review — not a complaint | | The judge's personal conduct: rudeness, shouting, sarcasm, bullying, inappropriate remarks | JCIO complaint | | Judgment delivered more than 3 months after the hearing (without good reason) | JCIO complaint (delay can raise misconduct questions) | | Court administration — listings, staff, facilities, lost papers | HMCTS complaints (court office), not the JCIO |

The JCIO states plainly: it deals only with complaints about the misconduct of judicial office-holders — never about a decision or case management that raises no question of misconduct.

Who the JCIO covers

Court of Appeal, High Court, Crown Court, county court and Family Court judges, district judges, recorders, coroners
It does not cover magistrates (complain to your local advisory committee), tribunal members (except Chamber Presidents), judges in Scotland or Northern Ireland, or UK Supreme Court justices

The rules

3-month time limit from the matter complained of (Rule 8 of the Judicial Conduct Rules 2023 requires dates, identification, and supporting detail)
Complaints are made online via the JCIO portal at complaints.judicialconduct.gov.uk or in writing
Your complaint must state: your name and address; the allegation of misconduct against an identified judicial office holder with supporting details; and the date(s) of the conduct
Evidence helps enormously: for something a judge said, quote the words and give the context and location; for delay, give the hearing date and the judgment date; a transcript is powerful (order one if you can)

What happens after you complain

1. The JCIO assesses whether the complaint is within scope 2. In-scope complaints are investigated; the judge is asked to respond 3. You receive the outcome — complaints can be dismissed, resolved informally (with guidance or a formal warning to the judge), or referred to a disciplinary panel 4. Serious misconduct can lead to removal from office; most complaints end with no action, informal advice or a formal warning

If you disagree with the JCIO's handling

The Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman (JACO) reviews complaints about how the JCIO handled your complaint (maladministration in the process) — within 28 days of the JCIO's final response. JACO cannot re-decide whether the judge committed misconduct; it reviews the fairness of the investigation.

Practical realities

Complaining to the JCIO does not affect your case or the decision — if you also need to challenge the outcome, appeal deadlines run separately and are short (often 21 days for permission to appeal)
Be factual and dispassionate; complaints read as grievance get dismissed, complaints evidenced with quotes, dates and transcripts are taken seriously
Conduct complaints are confidential to the process; they are not a tactical step in your litigation

Official links

YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory — we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the JCIO, MoJ, or gov.uk. This page is general information and is not legal advice.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.