What if a letter could save someone? Have you ever wondered if attesting to your friend’s character could be the reason they’re discharged from court? What if you could change the entire narrative of a court proceeding by standing as a witness through a letter? This is what a character letter can do.
A character letter is tendered in court to attest to the defendant’s character. In this article, we’ll explain how to write a character letter for court and provide a sample character reference letter for court. Let’s get started!
Table of Content
What is a Character Letter?
A character letter is a written document that speaks on a person’s character, values, and behavior. It is usually written by a friend, family member, employer, teacher, spouse, etc. In rare instances, it can also be written by the person whose character is in question.
In court, a character letter helps the judge or jury understand the defendant; their circumstances and their way of life. It is written to provide a more rounded view of the defendant as a way of requesting leniency in sentencing.
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At What Stage in the Court Proceeding Can a Character Letter be Tendered?
A character letter can be written at any stage of the trial; however, it is most often used after sentencing.
If you’re writing a character letter before the defendant is sentenced, you’d be writing it to attempt to convince the judge that the defendant is innocent. However, if you’re tendering it after the defendant has been convicted, then your goal should be to request a mitigated sentence for the defendant.
How to Write a Character for Court
A character letter for court is a technical document—it’s not your regular formal letter. A character letter requires strategy and critical thinking. In order for your letter to be admissible in court and considered, you must sound convincing, yet not patronizing.
Are you wondering how you can successfully achieve this? Not to worry; this section covers the step-by-step process of how to write a character letter for court. Whether you’re writing for a friend, family, or even yourself, you’d be ready to pick up your pen and paper at the end of this article.
How to Write a Character Letter to a Judge for a Friend or Family
Most often, a character letter is written by a friend or family to the defendant—it is written to show the judge or jury that the defendant isn’t an entirely evil person, rather was just misled.
Let’s discuss the various steps you must take in learning how to write a character letter to a judge for a friend or family member.
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Step 1: Understand the Circumstances of the Case
To write a compelling character letter, you must understand:
- what the case entails
- whether the defendant has pleaded guilty or not guilty
- why a character letter has been requested, and the role it’ll play in court
- what stage the case is in.
Understanding these details will help you build a strong case for the defendant. For instance, as mentioned earlier, writing a character letter during trial and after sentencing are totally different—the goals are different.
When writing a character letter while the trial is still ongoing, you’re probably trying to convince the judge that the defendant is innocent—you’re aiming to influence the court’s verdict. However, when you tender a character letter after the verdict has been reached, your major aim will be to request a mitigated sentence for the defendant by reason of their good standing in society.
Pro Tip: Don’t write a character letter if you’re not closely related to the defendant or unable to vouch for their character. You may find it difficult to convince the judge of the defendant’s character if you don’t know them too well.
Step 2: Start with the Basics
A character letter is structured like a formal letter; hence, you must include the following basic details:
- Your name, address and date at the top right
- The recipient’s contact details on the top left
- A formal salutation
- A heading
Below is a sample of step two on how to write a character letter to a judge for a friend or family:
Mrs. Kendra Miles,
No. 25, Yakubu Gowon Street,
Maitama, FCT-ABUJA
23rd April, 2025
The Honorable Judge,
Federal High Court,
Abuja Judicial Division,
Abuja-FCT
Your Honour,
CHARACTER LETTER FOR JOHN MILES
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Step 3: Introduce Yourself
Next up, introduce yourself, your occupation, and explain how you’re affiliated with the defendant.
Step 4: Describe Your Friend’s Character
Next up on how to write a character letter to a judge for a friend or family, describe the friend’s character, using specific examples you’ve witnessed throughout your years knowing them.
Pro Tip: Show, don’t tell. Use stories to highlight those outstanding qualities that you want to bring to the judge’s attention. For instance, rather than just saying your friend is honest, write a story that shows their honesty.
Step 5: Acknowledge the Situation
If your friend is facing serious charges, do not ignore those charges. Acknowledge the seriousness of the situation, but reinforce your belief in their character and potential for change or redemption.
Pro Tip: If you’re writing the character letter after the defendant has been convicted, don’t try to prove their innocence. Rather, acknowledge the verdict and state your request for a lesser sentence based on the person’s character.
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Step 6: Close Out
Let the court know you’re writing this letter voluntarily and sincerely, believing that your friend is of moral standing and deserves some leniency. Also state that you’re available if the court needs further clarification.
Finally, thank the judge for their time and sign out with your full name. Include your phone number and email below your signature for reference.
Pro Tip: Ensure your character letter is well formatted. Seek information about the standard formatting of character letters in that court. You can get this information from the defendant’s lawyer or the court clerk. A well-formatted character letter is more likely to hold the attention of the judge than one that isn’t.
How to Write a Letter to a Judge on Behalf of Yourself
Most times, the court will not allow a defendant to write a character letter on behalf of themself.
However, if you’ve been granted permission to write a character letter on behalf of yourself, follow these steps:
- Draft your name, address, date, judge’s name, court name, court address and formal salutation in the format of a formal letter. You can see a sample of this step in the previous section on how to write a character letter to a judge for a friend or family.
- Briefly state who you are, why you’re on trial, and why you’re writing.
- Take responsibility for your actions, especially if you’ve already been convicted; don’t try to deny the allegations against you.
- Describe your character, demonstrating instances when your positive attributes shone.
- Mention any steps you’ve taken to rectify the situation and build on your personal development, e.g., compensation for the victim, personal counseling, community service, etc.
- Respectfully seek leniency, like a mitigated sentence or a chance at parole.
- Thank the judge for their time, sign the letter with your full name, and close out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A sound character letter must contain the following:
Your name, occupation, and relationship to the defendant
Why you think the defendant is of good character
How long you’ve known the defendant; this information strengthens your attestation about the defendant
That you understand and acknowledge the court verdict
That the letter is written voluntarily and without coercion
That you’re available on request
Start by stating who you are, your purpose for writing the letter, and how you’re related to the defendant.
Writing a letter of good character is easy if you’re able to convincingly attest to the person’s character. Ensure you follow all the steps in this article on how to write a character letter for court, and you’ll be good to go!
Conclusion: Draft Your Sample Character Reference Letter for Court
If you made it to the end of this article, you’re now equipped with the steps on how to write a character letter for court. However, that is not all we have in store. You might also want to learn about how to write an undertaking letter, guarantor letter, or even an application letter. We have all of these and more on our website. So, feel free to check them out.
Now, to our main topic: when you are drafting your character reference letter for court, ensure you adhere to the steps and tips in this article. A strong character letter could change the trajectory of a case, so ensure you do it excellently!
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References
- Versustexas.com – Character Letter for Court or Judge [Template]
- Baldanilaw.com – Tips for an Effective Character Letter for a Judge
