Complaints about a Judicial Officer can be made to the ACT Judicial Council at www.actjudicialcouncil.org.au. Complaints about Registrars or Staff of the ACT Courts can be made to the CEO of the ACT Courts and Tribunal in accordance with public service procedures and the ACT Public Service Respect, Equity and Diversity Framework.  Complaints about the CEO of the ACT Courts and Tribunal should be made to the Director General for the Justice and Community Safety Directorate.

Aggrieved persons who do not wish to make a formal complaint about inappropriate conduct may be prepared to make a less formal complaint. Further information is available in the factsheet on inappropriate workplace conduct issued by the ACT Supreme Court.

On 1 February 2017 the Judicial Council was established to consider complaints about the conduct of judicial officers.  Further information about the ACT Judicial Council is available at www.actjudicialcouncil.org.au or by contacting (02) 6276 0193 or emailing Principal.Officer@actjudicialcouncil.org.au.

If the complaint is about a Court Registrar carrying out judicial functions, then the complaint should be sent to the ACT Chief Justice for matters in the ACT Supreme Court or ACT Chief Magistrate for matters in the ACT Magistrates Court.

Complaints concerning the actions of a Barrister should be made to the ACT Bar Association and complaints concerning Solicitors should be made to the Law Society of the ACT.

• ACT Bar Association’s policies on Discrimination, Bullying and Sexual Harassment
• ACT Law Society’s Statement on Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying in the ACT Legal Profession

If a party to a court decision wants to appeal the decision, they should read the information about appealing decisions available at www.courts.act.gov.au/appeal .

Written complaints or feedback can be emailed to feedback@courts.act.gov.au.

Further information is available at:

• Complaints and Feedback Policy
• Complaints and Feedback Factsheet

Information on Victims rights is available on the ACT Victim Support website. This includes information on how to report an offence to a police officer, the administration of justice processes that result from making a report, hearing and trial processes, including the role, rights and responsibilities of witnesses and restorative justice options.

Certain victims rights apply to the courts and tribunal, but only when acting in an administrative capacity other than when the Court is exercising its jurisdiction in relation to any court proceeding before it. This is to protect the independence of the courts.

If you believe that the ACT Courts and Tribunal has not complied with a victims right then you can:

1. complain to the ACT Courts and Tribunal using the procedures in the complaints and feedback policy.
2. raise a concern with the Victims of Crime Commissioner
3. Make a complaint to the Disability and Community Services Commissioner
4. Make a complaint to another relevant complaints body such as the Ombudsman or the Integrity Commissioner.

Further information is set out at on the ACT Victim Support website.

Information about complaining about a judicial officer to the ACT Judicial Council is located under the ‘Complaints about a Judicial Officer’ heading above.

Information to support victims of crime is available on our Information for Victims page.

Complaints about corruption should be made to the ACT Integrity Commission - www.integrity.act.gov.au

Information regarding Reserved Judgments is available on the ACT Supreme Court website.