About Texas Courts

Policy

The Office of Court Administration (OCA), the State Board of Regional Judges for Title IV-D Account, and the Title IV-D associate judges, assistants and court monitors are committed to providing excellent service to those members of the public who use the Title IV-D program. To ensure both the quality of service in Title IV-D hearings and that all persons who appear before the Title IV-D associate judges and interact with the Title IV-D assistants and court monitors are treated with dignity and respect, the OCA and the State Board of Regional Judges for Title IV-D Account adopt the following procedures for handling complaints about the child support associate judges and their staff.

Complaints Received from the Public

Complaints from the public should be submitted in writing. Persons who call the associate judges' offices with a complaint should be told to submit their complaint in writing to the regional presiding judge, and should be given the name and address of the judge. Persons who call OCA with a complaint should be told to submit their complaint in writing to the Administrative Director of OCA.

Complaints received by OCA from the public will be forwarded to the presiding judge of the judicial region in which the complaint arose. Complaints received by the IV-D associate judges, assistants and court monitors from the public will also be forwarded to the presiding judge of the judicial region in which the complaint arose.

Complaints Received from the Office of the Attorney General

Complaints submitted to OCA by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) concerning a specific associate judge, assistant or court monitor will be forwarded to the presiding judge of the judicial region in which the complaint arose. If a complaint concerns a program procedure rather than a specific individual, the issue will be placed on the agenda of the next meeting of the Board of Regional Judges for Title IV-D Account.

This policy does not preclude the OAG from submitting complaints directly to a presiding judge.

Documentation of Complaints

Any formal action taken on a complaint concerning a specific associate judge, assistant or court monitor will be documented in writing and placed in his or her official personnel file maintained at OCA.

Referral to the Judicial Conduct Commission

Complaints regarding an associate judge that clearly establish that the associate judge has violated the Code of Judicial Conduct shall be handled appropriately. If the matter complained of raises a substantial question as to the associate judge's fitness for office, the matter may also be referred to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.