Anyone who believes that a justice of the peace has behaved inappropriately may complain to the Justices of the Peace Review Council.

Complaints about Justices of the Peace

You can complain to the Review Council about justices of the peace of the Ontario Court of Justice. Justices of the peace work in two main areas: criminal law and provincial offences. They wear green sashes in court.

To find the names of justices of the peace of the Ontario Court of Justice, please visit Justices of the Peace of the Ontario Court of Justice.

Complaints about Judges

If you have a complaint about a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice, you should send your complaint to the Ontario Judicial Council. Judges of the Ontario Court of Justice decide most criminal and family cases in the province.  They wear red sashes in court.

To find the names of judges of the Ontario Court of Justice, please visit Judges of the Ontario Court of Justice.

Complaints about Other Justice System Participants

You cannot complain to the Justices of the Peace Review Council or the Ontario Judicial Council about:

• Judges of the Superior Court of Justice or Court of Appeal for Ontario
• Associate Judges of the Superior Court of Justice
• Deputy Judges of the Small Claims Court
• Lawyers, paralegals, or Crown Attorneys
• Police Officers or Court Staff
• Tribunals
• Children’s Aid Society Lawyers or Staff
• Justice system in Ontario

For more information about how to complain about someone other than a member of the Ontario Court of Justice, please see Other Complaint Bodies.

Eligible Complaints 

The Review Council can consider complaints about:

• the conduct or behaviour of a justice of the peace of the Ontario Court of Justice. Conduct means the way a person behaves, especially towards others.

For more information on the standards of conduct for justices of the peace, please see Standards of Conduct.

Non-Eligible Complaints 

The Review Council cannot consider complaints about the decisions of justices of the peace. The Review Council cannot consider complaints about:

• mistakes in a justice of the peace’s decision or order
• errors of law or procedure
• how long a justice of the peace let each side speak
• what a justice of the peace let a witness say in court
• a justice of the peace accepting or rejecting documents
• a justice of the peace accepting or rejecting a witness’s evidence
• the sentence imposed by a justice of the peace

Appeal courts review these types of complaints, not the Review Council. For more information, see What if I disagree with a justice of the peace’s decision?

Review Council’s Role

If you have a complaint about a justice of the peace’s decision, you may want to get legal advice from a lawyer or a paralegal. A lawyer or paralegal may be able to give you advice about how to appeal or review the decision.

The Review Council cannot:

• change a justice of the peace’s decision
• review the evidence that the justice of the peace considered
• order a new trial
• order that a particular justice of the peace not hear a case

It is important to get legal advice as soon as possible so you can meet any deadlines for your appeal or review. Review Council staff cannot give you legal advice.

Finding Legal Advice or Information

If you do not have a lawyer or paralegal and want legal advice, you can contact the Law Society Referral Service. If you qualify to use the service, they will give you the name of a lawyer or paralegal who practices in the right legal area. The lawyer or paralegal will provide a 30-minute free consultation.

For more information about the service, please visit https://lsrs.lso.ca/lsrs/welcome or contact:

• Phone  : 1-800-268-8326
• Phone  : 416-947-3330 (within GTA)

Legal Aid Ontario may help pay for a lawyer to represent you or may provide free legal advice over the phone. You must meet criteria to get help from Legal Aid, including financial criteria. For more information about Legal Aid Ontario, please visit Legal Aid Ontario or contact:

• Phone  : 1-800-668-8258
• Phone  : 1-800-855-0511 (Bell relay)

For more information about getting legal help for Criminal or Provincial Offences law, please visit Criminal Law: Steps to Justice or Provincial Offences: Steps to Justice.

To make a complaint, please write a letter to the Review Council. If you would like the Review Council to use a specific title or pronouns for you, please tell us in your letter. Your complaint letter must include:

• Name
• Return address
• Details about your complaint.

Please see What information should I put in my complaint to the Review Council? for more details about what to put in your complaint.

Please note that if you do not provide a return address, the Review Council will not be able to respond to your complaint.

Written complaints should be mailed or faxed to:

• The Justices of the Peace Review Council, 1 Queen Street East, Box 65, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2W5
• Fax  : 416-327-2339

Complaints About Conduct in Court

If you are complaining about something a justice of the peace did in court, your letter should include:

• Date(s) of the court hearing(s)
• Place of the court hearing(s)
• Names of the parties to the court hearing
• For criminal or Provincial Offences Act cases, this means the name of the defendant(s)
• The court file number, if you have it
• As much detail as possible about why you think the justice of the peace behaved poorly

Complaints About Conduct Outside of Court

If you are complaining about something a justice of the peace did outside of court, your letter should include as much information as possible about what happened. For example, try to answer these questions:

• What did the justice of the peace do? When and where?
• Was anyone else there at the time?
• Why do you think the justice of the peace’s behaviour was wrong?

No response from Review Council

The Review Council does not respond to complaints:

• Without a return address
• Using rude, abusive, or threatening language
• Repetitive complaints about issues that are not within the Review Council’s jurisdiction to consider

No. There is no fee to complain to the Review Council.

No. You do not need a lawyer to complain to the Review Council.

If you need help in preparing your complaint, please see Can I get help in making a complaint to the Review Council?

You can write your complaint to the Council in English or French.

Yes, but the Review Council’s policy is that if a complaint relates to an ongoing court or other legal proceeding, the Review Council will not generally consider the complaint until the proceeding is over. The proceeding is only over when the proceeding and any appeal or judicial review is no longer in court.

If you complain to the Review Council about an ongoing court case, the Review Council will ask you to write back once your case is over. The Review Council will keep your letter on file until you write back to say your case is over.

If your complaint is about a decision the justice of the peace has made in your ongoing court case, please note that the Review Council cannot consider a complaint about the justice of the peace’s decision.

For information about what to do if you disagree with justice of the peace’s decision, see What if I disagree with a justice of the peace’s decision?

1. Complaint Received:

• • The Review Council staff will review your letter to confirm if your complaint is about the conduct of a justice of the peace of the Ontario Court of Justice.
  • If you are complaining about someone or something other than the conduct of a justice of the peace of the Ontario Court of Justice, the Review Council will send you a letter with information about other resources that may be available to you.
  • If your complaint relates to an ongoing court case, Review Council staff will ask you to write back after the court case is over.

       2. Complaints Committee Considers Complaint:

• • Consists of a judge, a justice of the peace, and a Law Society or community member of the Review Council.
  • Reviews eligible complaints and related materials (e.g., court transcripts, court audio recording).
  • May invite the justice of the peace to respond to the complaint.
  • Considers complaints in private.
  • Decides whether to:
    • Dismiss the complaint.
    • Give the justice of the peace written advice.
    • Give the justice of the peace advice in-person.
    • Refer the complaint to the Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice.
    • Order a formal hearing into the complaint.

      3. Hearing Panel Holds Public Hearing:

• • Consists of three members: one judge, one justice of the peace, and a lawyer or a community member of the Review Council.
  • Decides whether the justice of the peace engaged in judicial misconduct.
  • If the hearing panel decides the justice of the peace engaged in judicial misconduct, the hearing panel may:
    • Warn the justice of the peace.
    • Reprimand the justice of the peace.
    • Order the justice of the peace to apologize.
    • Order the justice of the peace to take steps, such as receiving education.
    • Suspend the justice of the peace, with or without pay.
    • Recommend to the Attorney General that the justice of the peace be removed from office.
  • If a hearing panel recommends removal, the Attorney General may initiate removal proceedings.

     4. Notice of Decision: The Review Council will send you a letter to let you know the outcome of your complaint, and will provide the reasons for the Review Council’s decision.

     5. Objecting to a Review Council Decision:

• • Decisions by a complaints committee or hearing panel of the Review Council are final.
  • There is no right to appeal a Review Council decision.
  • A complainant may bring an application for judicial review of a Review Council decision.

Review Council staff cannot give legal advice. If you need more information or help in making a complaint, please call the Review Council:

• Phone  : 1-800-806-5186
• Phone  : 416-327-5672 (within GTA)
• Phone  : 1-800-855-0511 (Relay or (TTY) services)

You can find information about making a complaint about someone other than a justice of the peace or judge of the Ontario Court of Justice at the links below:

Judges of the Superior Court of Justice:

• Canadian Judicial Council

Judges of the Court of Appeal for Ontario:

• Canadian Judicial Council

Associate Judges of the Superior Court of Justice:

• Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Justice

Deputy Judges of the Small Claims Court:

• Regional Senior Judge in the region where the Deputy Judge sits

Court Staff:

• Ministry of the Attorney General – Court Services Division

Lawyers or Paralegals:

• Law Society of Ontario

Crown Attorneys:

• Law Society of Ontario

• Crown Prosecution Manual: D. 31: Professionalism

Public Prosecution Service of Canada:

• Law Society of Ontario

• PPSC – Public Feedback and Complaints

Police Officers:

• Law Enforcement Complaints Agency

Tribunal Members or Staff (e.g., Landlord and Tenant Board, Human Rights Tribunal):

• Tribunals Ontario

Children’s Aid Society Lawyers or Staff:

• How to submit a complaint about child welfare services in Ontario

Ontario Justice System Generally:

• Ministry of the Attorney General – Court Services Division

Additional Contact Information:

If you are still not sure where to complain, please contact the Review Council. We will do our best to help you find the right place:

• Phone  : 1-800-806-5186 (toll free)
• Phone  : (416) 327-5672 (within GTA)
• Phone  : 1-800-855-0511 (Relay or (TTY) services)