The Ontario Judicial Council periodically updates its Procedures Document to clarify and streamline its processes to ensure that the procedures reflect current practices, and to support the remedial objectives of the complaints process. On May 5, 2026, the OJC amended rules 4, 8, 17 and 21.

The amendments to rules 8 and 21 clarify how materials from the investigation stage of the complaints process, including a judge’s written response to a complaint, may be used at the hearing stage of the complaints process.

The amendments to rules 4 and 17 clarify the form and scope of the Notice of Hearing. A Notice of Hearing is the originating document for a public hearing of the OJC and includes the particulars of the allegations against the judge and a copy of the original letter of complaint that started the complaint process.

Further amendments to rule 4 formalize the OJC’s existing communications policy and establish new rules on how the OJC will address voluminous, repetitive, vague and/or abusive correspondence. These new rules are intended ensure the efficient use of OJC resources in processing complaint correspondence.

The current version of the OJC Procedures Document is available here: https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/conduct/files/procedures-EN-2.pdf.