If you send us a complaint we will look at it - together with any supporting material - to see whether we can help. If we need more information, we will get in touch with you. We will contact you to let you know that we have received your complaint and explain how we will handle it. We may also want to discuss the details with you.

Key steps for appointment complaints:

Complaints should be in writing, if possible, and signed. You can obtain a complaint booklet with a consent form attached by contacting the Ombudsman's Office or by clicking here. We will ask your permission before proceeding further. In most cases it will be impractical to proceed with a complaint if permission to disclose is withheld.

When making your complaint you should include the following:

• Your name and preferred contact details
• Details of your complaint
• Any information you feel would assist the Ombudsman in investigating your complaint.

An Investigating Officer will then conduct a thorough investigation of your complaint and will keep you updated throughout. The investigation may take several months, depending on its complexity.

The Officer will then report to the Ombudsman, who will decide the outcome of your complaint. The Ombudsman will set out his decision in his report which he must by law (The constitutional Reform Act 2005), send in draft to the Lord Chancellor.

Key steps for conduct complaints:

You can obtain a complaint form form either by contacting the Ombudsman's Office or by clicking here.

After the Ombudsman receives your completed complaint form, he will decide whether he will be able to consider your complaint.

If the Ombudsman cannot help you, he will write to you to explain why.

If the Ombudsman can consider your complaint, your complaint file will be requested from the Office for judicial Complaints, Tribunal President or Advisory Committee.

NB. Please note that you are asked to provide permission to disclose your complaint in the complaint form. Without this permission we cannot proceed with your complaint.

An Investigating Officer will then conduct a thorough investigation of your complaint and will keep you updated throughout. The investigation may take several months, depending on its complexity.

Th Officer will then report to the Ombudsman, who will decide the outcome of your complaint. The Ombudsman will set out his decision in his report which he must by law (The constitutional Reform Act 2005), be sent in draft to the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice.

If you are dissatisfied with the service provided by a member of staff in this office then please contact the Head of Office