COMPLAINTS ABOUT JUDGES

Under certain Rules, complaints can be made within 3 months to the Judicial Office for Scotland about the personal conduct of judges, in or out of court.  

This includes:

• judges of the Court of Session
• judicial members of the Scottish Land Court
• sheriffs principal
• sheriffs
• summary sheriffs
• justices of the peace

The Judicial Office cannot deal with complaints about court decisions made by judges, or the way cases have been handled. The usual way to challenge a decision is to appeal. If you are considering appealing a judicial decision, it is recommended that you get legal advice from a solicitor or Citizens Advice Scotland.

To Make a Complaint

If you wish to make a complaint, see the following guidance and contact details.

• Complaints About the Judiciary - Rules
• Complaints Guidance
• Children's Complaints Guidance
• Complaints Form
• Unacceptable Actions Policy

Contact details

Judicial Office for Scotland
Parliament House
Edinburgh
EH1 1RQ
judicialofficeforscotland@scotcourts.gov.uk

The rules and guidance above provide more detail, but you should note that your complaint must be in writing and clearly state:

• your name and address
• the name of the judge, or sufficient information to identify them
• where appropriate, the court, and the date of the hearing
• specific details about the grounds of the complaint

You must include copies of all the documents that you have that you are relying on to support your complaint.

Your complaint should be made as soon as possible, but no later than 3 months after the incident your complaint relates to. If the case or appeal is ongoing, the complaint may not be considered until the case has concluded, but you should still make your complaint in time. Extensions are given only in exceptional circumstances.

Publication of complaints

The Publication of Disciplinary Statements Policy was published on 1 September 2024. This sets out when a statement regarding a complaint will be published. These statements will be published on the Complaints Reports and Statements page.

The Judicial Office for Scotland also publishes annual statistics regarding the number of complaints received under the Rules on the same page.

Privacy Notice

Read the privacy notice for information about how we handle personal data.

Other Complaints

Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) 
If you have a complaint regarding court staff, the SCTS, or your role as a juror, please see the SCTS website.

Solicitors or Advocates
All complaints against legal practitioners should be sent to the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission. They act as a single point of contact and will advise you on the next step. For further information see the Scottish Legal Complaints website.

More information

Read more on the Scottish Government website.