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How to File a Complaint with the Office of Professional Responsibility

Our Jurisdiction

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct against DOJ attorneys that relate to the exercise of their authority to investigate, litigate or provide legal advice, as well as allegations of misconduct against DOJ law enforcement personnel that relate to allegations of attorney misconduct within the jurisdiction of OPR. 

OPR does not have the authority to investigate allegations of misconduct against other DOJ employees.  All such allegations may fall within the jurisdiction of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and may be submitted to the OIG here:  https://oig.justice.gov/hotline

In addition, OPR does not have the authority to investigate allegations of misconduct against employees of other federal agencies or departments such as:

  • Department of Defense (DOD)
  • Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
  • Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
  • Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
  • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and others.

OPR also does not have the authority to investigate allegations against non-DOJ employees such as state and local law enforcement officers and officials.  

It is OPR’s policy to refrain from investigating allegations that have been submitted, or could have been submitted, to a court for its consideration during the course of litigation.  

How to File a Complaint

OPR accepts complaints by mail or by using the online form.

Send completed complaint forms to:

     Mail:  
     Counsel
     Office of Professional Responsibility
     950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 3266 
     Washington, D.C. 20530-0001

     Electronic: Complete and submit the form below.

If you elect to submit your complaint online and would also like to submit additional documentation to OPR, you may do so by mailing your printed online complaint along with the supporting documentation to OPR at the address provided.

If you wish to submit a FOIA request, please use the contact options set forth in the OPR's FOIA section of this website.

 

COMPLAINT OF POSSIBLE PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT OF 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ATTORNEY OR DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LAW ENFORCEMENT

* Indicates mandatory questions.

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Name of person seeking OPR's action (Complainant)

If you are filing this complaint as a legal or other representative of the Complainant, please provide the following information:

Name and title of the filer

Information about the DOJ Attorney or DOJ Law Enforcement Official You Are Complaining About (Subject)

Name of the person(s) you are complaining about (Subject)
Does your complaint involve more than one person?
Name of the person(s) of the second subject

Information about your complaint

Please provide a brief description summarizing the:*

  • reason(s) for your complaint including the details, actions, events, or allegations,
  • case names,
  • potential witnesses and their involvement,
  • where the incident occurred,
  • how the incident occurred, and
  • any corrective actions already taken
  • For Whistleblower complaints only – describe the personnel action(s) that occurred or failed to occur because of a protected disclosure: (an appointment, a promotion, an action under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 75 or other disciplinary or corrective action; a detail, transfer, or reassignment; a reinstatement; a restoration; a reemployment; a decision about pay, benefits or awards, concerning education or training if the education or training may reasonably be expected to lead to an appointment, promotion, performance evaluation or other action described in 5 U.S.C. § 2302 (a)(2); a performance evaluation under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 43; a decision to order psychiatric testing or examination; or any other significant change in duties, responsibilities, or working conditions.)

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT

The authority by which information is collected on this website form is 44 U.S.C. 3101, 28 CFR 0.39, and Attorney General Order No. 833-79.  Your disclosure of information on this form to the Department of Justice, Office of Professional Responsibility (“OPR”) is voluntary.  If you do not complete all or some information fields in this form, however, the OPR may not be able to effectively respond to your feedback.

The principal purpose for collecting and maintaining the information on this website form is to control, track, respond to, and maintain correspondence that is received, originated or referred to OPR regarding the resolution of allegations of professional misconduct made against Department employees, FBI Whistleblower complaints, and to advise complainants of the status of investigations and the results. Information is also maintained for purposes of making a determination concerning the possible referral of certain allegations of professional misconduct made against non-Department attorneys to the appropriate licensing authorities.

In addition to those disclosures generally permitted by the Privacy Act, all or a portion of this information may be disclosed as a routine use, which include, but are not limited to, disclosures : to any civil or criminal law enforcement authority or other appropriate agency where a record, either alone or in conjunction with other information indicates a violation or potential violation of law; to contractors, grantees, experts, consultants, students, and others performing or working on a contract, service, grant, cooperative agreement, or other assignment for the Federal government, when necessary to accomplish an agency function related to the corresponding system of records; to any person or entity that OPR has reason to believe possesses information regarding a matter within the jurisdiction of OPR, to the extent deemed to be necessary by OPR, in order to elicit such information or cooperation from the recipient for use in the performance of an authorized activity; or to such recipients and under such circumstances and procedures as are mandated by federal statute or treaty. The full list of routine uses for this correspondence can be found in the System of Records Notice titled, JUSTICE/OPR-001, “Office of Professional Responsibility Record Index for the Department of Justice,” 76 Fed. Reg. 66752 (10-27-2011); 82 Fed. Reg. 24151, 161 (5-21-2017).

Updated July 5, 2025