Feedback and complaints

Your feedback is important to us, whether you have a complaint, a suggestion or a compliment. We value all feedback, because it helps us improve our services.

How should I provide my feedback?

You should firstly contact the staff member you were dealing with, or the staff member's manager. 

• You can either write (a letter or email) or telephone.
  
• Contact information for each of the Crown Solicitor's Office Practice Groups is available from the CSO Directory.
  

If you have a complaint that is serious or complex, it is generally best to put it in writing.

What if I need assistance to provide feedback?

If you have a disability, or if you do not understand English well, we can assist you with providing feedback or making a complaint. Just let us know:

• About your disability, or what is your preferred language, and
  
• How you would like us to help you provide feedback or make a complaint.
  

We cannot provide you with legal advice. If you need a referral to a lawyer or other legal information and assistance, you can contact Law Access NSW. 

What can I provide feedback about?

You can provide feedback to us about:

• The quality of service you have received from a staff member.
  
• The conduct of a staff member.
  
• A policy or procedure of the Crown Solicitor's Office.
  

What should I include in a complaint?

You should briefly state your concern, and tell us what happened. Make sure you also include:

• Which person or area of the Crown Solicitor's Office has caused you concern.
  
• The relevant date(s) and (if applicable) any reference number.
  
• What you would like us to do to resolve your complaint.
  
• Your contact details; name, email and postal address and contact telephone numbers.
  

When can I expect a response to my complaint?

Generally, we will provide an acknowledgement within 3 business days and a response to your complaint within 21 business days of receipt. If a complaint is serious or complex, it may take longer. If we cannot respond within the 21 business days timeframe, we will explain why we cannot do so, what we are doing and when you can expect to receive a response. 

What can I expect to achieve from making a complaint?

If your complaint is justified, we can do one or more of the following:

• Rectify our mistake.
  
• Provide you with an apology.
  
• Provide you with further explanation of a decision that has been made.
  
• Promise to improve our policies, procedures or systems.
  

What if I am dissatisfied with the handling of my complaint?

If you have made a complaint to us and you are dissatisfied with the response, you can write and ask for an internal review. This means that another, more senior staff member will look again at your complaint, and decide whether or not it was handled fairly and reasonable steps were taken to resolve the issue.

At any stage of the complaint process, you can forward your complaint for consideration by a complaint-handling agency that is outside the Crown Solicitor's Office. For example, you can contact the NSW Ombudsman (about a complaint regarding administration), the Anti-Discrimination Board (about a complaint regarding discrimination) or the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner (about legal practitioners).

How will you protect the privacy or confidentiality of my complaint?

The law requires us to protect your personal information, and not to disclose it to another person or body except in certain circumstances. For more information, you can visit the Justice Legal website or the Information and Privacy Commission website.

When examining your complaint, it may be necessary for us to seek information about your concerns from the person you are complaining about, from other staff members and from other areas of the Crown Solicitor's Office.

If you want us to handle your complaint confidentially within the Office, please let us know. While we can do this, it may limit our ability to examine or resolve your concerns.

Where can I get further information?

Contact us if you would like more information or assistance.