File a Complaint
If you believe a judge has violated the Code of Judicial Conduct, you may file a complaint with the Court of the Judiciary. Before filing a complaint, please review the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the complaint process and what the Court of Judiciary may consider.
To file a complaint, you must fill out a complaint form. The form must be typed or legibly hand-printed, dated and signed before a notary public. Once you have completed the form, mail it to the following address:
Tim Discenza, Disciplinary Counsel
Court of the Judiciary
P.O. Box 50356
Nashville, TN 37205
By law, all complaints filed with the Court of the Judiciary are confidential and privileged during the preliminary investigation stage.
What Happens With Your Complaint
The disciplinary counsel will review your complaint to determine whether or not to investigate it further. If the complaint does not include grounds for judicial misconduct, the disciplinary counsel will dismiss the complaint and notify you and the judge of the dismissal. If your complaint is dismissed, you may request a review by a three-judge investigative panel of the Court of the Judiciary.
If the complaint contains information about a judge that is considered judicial misconduct, the disciplinary counsel will conduct a preliminary investigation. If there is evidence supporting the allegations against a judge, the disciplinary counsel will recommend that the investigative panel authorize a full investigation. If a full investigation is authorized, the judge will be required to respond in writing.
Once the full investigation is completed, the investigative panel may dismiss the case; recommend a disciplinary action, such as a private reprimand or censure, a public reprimand or censure or a deferred discipline agreement; refer the case to another agency, or file formal charges against the judge.
If the panel directs the disciplinary counsel to file formal charges, a full hearing may be held in front of the hearing panel, which consists of all other members of the Court of the Judiciary who were not on the investigative panel. It is only when formal charges are filed that the matter becomes public.