Democracy depends on a just, effective judiciary, and the judiciary depends on being free of corruption in order to fulfill its function. Given the nature of the court system, which gives judges and other court personnel great power over the civil and criminal matters of citizens, the potential for corruption exists. As a citizen, you can help ensure the proper working of the courts by reporting incidents of corruption. Such incidents may be reviewed by a judicial oversight board or by the Attorney General.
Step 1
Record any evidence relating to the incident. Write down the alleged corruption and preserve any relevant documents that may prove corruption has taken or is taking place.
Step 2
Look up the judicial review board in your state. Every state and Washington D.C. has such a board to take complaints and conduct investigations of judicial misconduct.
Step 3
File your complaint based on your state review board's specific procedure. Each state's board has its own process for filing and reviewing complaints.
Step 4
Make a statement with the judicial review board as requested. Again, each state approaches complaints differently. Some may require a sworn statement to initiate an investigation; others may not summon you to testify at all. Also turn over any written evidence as requested by the investigators in order to aid the investigation.
Step 5
File a separate complaint with the state's Attorney General if you believe the corruption constitutes a criminal act. Your state's Attorney General website should have information on where and how to report criminal incidents.