# Where can I lodge a complaint about the conduct of a judge during a hearing in the circuit court.



## Curious Cat (28 Jul 2016)

I just wondered if there is any mechanism in place whereby I can lodge a complaint about the conduct of a judge during a hearing in the circuit court.


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## Gordon Gekko (29 Jul 2016)

Curious Cat said:


> I just wondered if there is any mechanism in place whereby I can lodge a complaint about the conduct of a judge during a hearing in the circuit court.



Presumably you can appeal to the High Court?

What happened?


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## Curious Cat (29 Jul 2016)

Gordon Gekko said:


> Presumably you can appeal to the High Court?
> 
> What happened?


I'm not appealing a judgement I am questioning the behaviour of the judge who was blatantly biased,rolled her eyes and sighed during my evidence.This was a family law court a very distressing situation at any time but when you have been subjected to physical abuse in a relationship you don't expect emotional abuse from the judge


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## Sarenco (29 Jul 2016)

Probably best to write to the President of the Circuit Court.


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## thedaddyman (29 Jul 2016)

it's almost impossible to complain about a judge in Ireland, they are close to being above the law and can only be removed via Dail Eireann. There were plans to set up a judicial complaints commission but I don't think it's been implemented. I'm presuming you lost your case so rather then complain about the judges behavior you should be looking to see if you can appeal the decision and use the judges behavior as grounds for appeal.


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## Curious Cat (29 Jul 2016)

thedaddyman said:


> it's almost impossible to complain about a judge in Ireland, they are close to being above the law and can only be removed via Dail Eireann. There were plans to set up a judicial complaints commission but I don't think it's been implemented. I'm presuming you lost your case so rather then complain about the judges behavior you should be looking to see if you can appeal the decision and use the judges behavior as grounds for appeal.


This was a family law case about access with grandparents.These are the parents of the abuser.I was told that I was the root cause of the problem and I must hand my son over for access visits with them.I was told that I couldn't be believed.I feel battered with no possibility of justice considering there is every chance I will meet this judge again.This is the second section 47 ordered which are incredibly expensive.I am a. broken person today.


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## Branz (29 Jul 2016)

OP: I appreciate your hurt but don't waste your time on talking on the system at even a higher level.
It will only wear you down even further and will be even a bigger expense


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## Gerry Canning (29 Jul 2016)

Curious Cat.

From the thread it seems ?

This case is over access by Grandparents to see grandchild(ren).

Could it be that you don,t want access by them because they are parents of the abuser?

If so, then I would think Judge is correct ?, in that grandparents  are surely entitled to see grandchild and cant be blamed for the (sins of the son) .

If I have read this wrongly , sorry.


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## Curious Cat (29 Jul 2016)

Gerry Canning said:


> Curious Cat.
> 
> From the thread it seems ?
> 
> ...


It's much more complicated than that


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## galway_blow_in (29 Jul 2016)

Curious Cat said:


> I'm not appealing a judgement I am questioning the behaviour of the judge who was blatantly biased,rolled her eyes and sighed during my evidence.This was a family law court a very distressing situation at any time but when you have been subjected to physical abuse in a relationship you don't expect emotional abuse from the judge



judges act in a biased manner all the time , especially in district court cases , i seriously doubt anything will be done about it , if you believe a ruling was unjust , you have the appeals process


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## DirectDevil (4 Aug 2016)

Firstly, I appreciate your immense exasperation, frustration, disbelief and upset at your experience.

IMHO the only avenue open is to complain to the President of the Circuit Court - as suggested above by Sarenco.

That said,  I would caution you not to follow the complaint path as I think that it is fraught with difficulties and that it is probably not going to achieve anything.

Indeed, if you are not careful the act of making a complaint might well prove counter-productive in two ways. Firstly, if you are not extremely careful you could buy yourself a load of potential legal trouble if your complaint is capable of being interpreted as being defamatory. Remember you have to stand up and prove what you allege. Secondly, if the other parties in this matter become aware of your complaint that could be used, in the hands of a skilled advocate, to characterise you adversely.

Your complaint would *not* be protected by legal privilege. Conversely, most utterances from a judge during the course of a trial attract virtually perfect immunity.

Additionally, you will have the additional difficulty that most judges are the masters of their own courtrooms. They have to obey the rules of practice and procedure but they also have considerable latitude in the conduct of their courts. That is a big impediment to anyone who feels that they have had a rough time from a judge.

If you have a solicitor they will probably steer you similarly.

And finally, if you are a party to the litigation and are represented by a solicitor and possibly by counsel you have one option for the future. It would be difficult but you could always ask the judge in question to recuse herself from any future case in which you are involved as a party on the grounds of perceived bias against you. A long shot perhaps but the only practical option that occurs to me.


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## Leper (5 Aug 2016)

Even if you have a serious complaint against the underlings (solicitors etc) of the court you are on a hiding to nothing.  The words "closed shop" come to mind.  Quit while you're behind because if you don't you will end up further behind - just a bit of leprous advice.


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## Purple (14 Sep 2016)

Unless the Judge made a mistake in law or gave biased direction etc you are wasting your time.
The judge is entitled to not like you, not believe you and generally find you hard going. They are human and spend their time, day after day, hearing the same sort of thing over and over again. If they were exasperated by you then that's just the way it is. They found you annoying and you found them annoying. That's hardly grounds for a complaint.


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