How to File a Complaint Against a Federal Judge
A complaint against a federal judge may be filed for several reasons. Legitimate grounds for filing a complaint against a federal judge include misconduct, improper courtroom behavior, improper or illegal influence, impropriety off the bench, physical or mental disability and a small handful of "other improper activities."
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Instructions
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Talk to your lawyer about filing a complaint against a federal judge for judicial misconduct. Your lawyer can help you file with the state body responsible for judicial conduct.
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Contact the court of appeals clerk in the judicial circuit in which your case was heard. The court of appeals clerk for the circuit will help you file your complaint properly and answer any questions you may have.
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Contact the clerk for the appropriate national court if your case was heard above the circuit level. This may mean contacting a supreme court clerk. If so, realize that the burden on that court system is immense and it may be quite difficult to get your case heard in a timely manner.
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Refer to the legal language of the 1980 Judicial Conduct and Disability Act that gave people the ability to file a complaint against a judge. The language states that a complaint may be brought against a judge if the judge in question was "prejudicial to the effective and expeditious administration of the business of the courts." Proving such prejudicial conduct may prove rather difficult. This is meant to deter people from filing such a complaint simply because they are unsatisfied with the verdict in their case.
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Wait for the chief judge of the particular court in which the complaint was filed to reach a decision on your complaint. In some cases, a committee of appointed judges may be called to review complaints against another judge. They will also be responsible for resolving the complaint in an appropriate way.
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Consult U.S. Legal Code Section 28, Section 351(a) for more information relating to the process and mechanisms of filing a complaint against a federal judge (see Resources below).
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Tips & Warnings
Before you decide to bring a complaint against a federal judge, talk to your lawyer and be very certain you can prove your case. Complaints against judges are some of the hardest to prove for many reasons, not the least of which is that judges tend to respect the actions and decisions of other judges.
