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Attorneys—The State Bar of California — sponsors an attorney complaint hotline, 1-800-843-9053. The State Bar is responsible for overseeing ethical violations in the state and its investigation costs the complainant nothing (unlike malpractice claims, which require a lawsuit between the client and the former lawyer). After investigation, if the State Bar determines that an attorney's actions involve probable misconduct, formal charges are filed with the State Bar Court by the bar's prosecutors. California is the only state in the nation with independent professional judges dedicated to ruling on attorney discipline cases. The comprehensive website explains:
- How to file a complaint, including forms
- How the bar’s court works
- How to get public records of discipline against an attorney
- Lawyer assistance programs (for attorneys with substance abuse or mental health problems)
- FAQs
- Glossary of terms
- Mandatory arbitration
- Reimbursement to a client if an attorney has stolen client funds
| Discrimination--California Department of Fair Employment and Housing — investigates complaints of discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, and hate violence. Resources on the website include:
- FAQs on employment and housing discrimination as well as discrimination by businesses
- Filing a complaint and an immediate “Right to Sue”
- Statistics
- Statutes, laws and department decisions
| Doctors/Health Care--The Medical Board of California — investigates complaints against doctors, and disciplines those who violate the law. It sponsors a complaint hotline, 1-800-633-2322. The Medical Board also investigates complaints against licensed midwives, opticians, and other healing professions. The Board has no authority over chiropractors (contact the Board of Chiropractic Examiners) or dentists (contact the Board of Dental Examiners). The Board website explains:
- How complaints are handled, with FAQs
- Patient privacy rights
- Medical marijuana policy
- Access to medical records
- Low-cost mammograms
- How to register your plans for advance care, in case of a disabling illness
- How to choose a doctor
| Insurance--California Department of Insurance — handles complaints about insurance coverage, including delays in settling a claim, improper handling of escrow, and misrepresentations by brokers. It does not handle workers compensation or HMO complaints. For information on filing a claim, go to:
| Police—California’s Attorney General — advises that you must first contact your local law enforcement agency with complaints against police. Each agency, whether it is the local police station or the county sheriff’s office, is required by the Penal Code to establish procedures for investigating citizen complaints. If the agency fails to help you, contact you local district attorney. Or, if your complaint involves alleged criminal misconduct (such as brutality, false arrest, civil rights abuses) and local agencies do not act upon it, you may then file a complaint with the Attorney General. To be acted upon, your complaint must contain specifics about the alleged criminal misconduct.
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