Judicial Conduct & Disability Complaint United States Courts for the Ninth Circuit Congress has created a procedure that permits any person to file a complaint in the courts about the behavior of federal judges—but not about the decisions federal judges make in deciding cases. Below is a link to the rules that explain what may be complained about, who may be complained about, where to file a complaint, and how the complaint will be processed. There is also a link to the form you must use. Almost all complaints in recent years have been dismissed because they do not follow the law about such complaints. The law says that complaints about judges’ decisions and complaints with no evidence to support them must be dismissed. If you are a litigant in a case and believe the judge made a wrong decision—even a very wrong decision—you may not use this procedure to complain about the decision. An attorney can explain the rights you have as a litigant to seek review of a judicial decision. The Rules of the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit Governing Complaints of Judicial Misconduct or Disability have been amended to reflect the renumbering of the Judicial Councils Reform and Judicial Conduct and Disability Act of 1980, formerly 28 U.S.C. § 372(c), and now 28 U.S.C. §§ 351-364. The renumbering makes it easier to find specific provisions governing misconduct and disability complaints. The new version of the rules also includes amendments governing the number of copies of complaints and petitions required to be filed and the confidentiality of communications with the Private Assistance Line Service (PALS). As before, the Misconduct Rules may be found online at www.ce9.uscourts.gov.