Policy Statement  Trial Court Policy on Complaints

Date:	08/23/2018
Referenced Sources:	Internal court policies & guides

1. Filing:

Any individual wishing to make a complaint regarding court-connected dispute resolution services may do so by filing a written complaint with any of the following  individuals: the director of the dispute resolution program that provided the services;  the person appointed by the local court to be its dispute resolution coordinator or the applicable the First Justice, the Regional Administrative Justice or the Chief Justice of the Court Department and/or their designee from where the complaint arose.  All complaints are to be resolved at the local level if possible.

2. Content of Complaint:

The complaint should identify the court or program where the alleged violation took place and the specific conduct that forms the basis of the complaint. 

3. Disposition of Complaint:

Before a neutral is deemed no longer qualified to provide court-connected dispute resolution services or a program is removed from the Department's list of approved programs, said neutral or program has a right to a formal hearing at a time and manner to be decided by the Chief Justice of the Department of the Trial Court from which the complaint arose.  A formal hearing is not required unless a neutral is deemed no longer qualified to provide court-connected dispute resolution services or a program is disapproved from a Department's list of programs to provide court-connected dispute resolution services.

4. Alternative Dispute Resolution:

In all cases, alternative dispute resolution services should be made available to the parties for the resolution of complaints.

Note:   Court personnel administering this policy should direct any inquiries they have about the resolution of complaints to the Support Services Department of the Administrative Office of the Trial Court.