What an ombudsman does
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An ombudsman investigates complaints from members of the public about the conduct of government agencies, examining whether a decision or action was handled fairly, lawfully, and in line with proper administrative practice, though this can vary between jurisdictions, a pattern that recurs in many contexts, a nuance that shapes how it plays out.
Unlike a court, an ombudsman generally offers a faster, less formal, and lower cost avenue for resolving complaints, often able to recommend a remedy such as an apology, a corrected decision, or a change to an agency's internal process, particularly when scrutiny is otherwise limited, which is easy to take for granted.
Because an ombudsman typically lacks the power to force compliance in the same way a court can, its authority relies heavily on the credibility of its findings and the willingness of agencies to respond constructively to its recommendations, which few people stop to consider, even when the stakes seem relatively low.