Tips for an Effective Character Letter To a Judge in California Understand the Purpose of a Character Letter. Use Specific Anecdotes Over General Praise. Address the Impact on the Defendant's Support Network. Maintain Respect For the Court. Respect the Judge's Time. Align Your Expectations with Reality.
The letter should be addressed to the Judge, but mailed to the defendant's attorney. Who are you? ... Make it personal when describing the defendant's characteristics. Only talk about what you know. Be truthful. Never attack the victims or law enforcement. Never allow the defendant to write the letter for you.
Follow the order of this format, leaving a space in between each section: Your Information (first thing that goes on the inside of the letter) Name. The Date. The Judge's Information. Honorable Judge First Name Last Name. What the Letter Is Going to Address. Salutation. Body. Signature.
Tips for Writing an Effective Character Letter Address Your Letter to the Judge. Establish a Clear Relationship with the Defendant. Be Truthful. Be Positive. Include a Discussion of the Crime. Do Not Suggest Penalties for the Crime.
Format of the letter: introduce yourself, state how long you've known the person and in what capacity. Choose 2 to 3 reasons why you support them and write a brief paragraph on each. Close with a sentence reiterating your support.
Writing Your Letter Search for a form letter. Some courts print off forms that you can use to request a hearing. Open a word processing document. Insert a salutation. Add a heading. Begin the letter with your request. Explain why you need the hearing. Provide a contact number. Sign the letter.
The judge will read the letters of support before the sentencing hearing and will consider them in deciding the defendant's sentence. Some letters of support can be very effective in persuading a judge to give the defendant a shorter sentence.
The letter should be addressed to the Judge, but mailed to the defendant's attorney. Who are you? ... Make it personal when describing the defendant's characteristics. Only talk about what you know. Be truthful. Never attack the victims or law enforcement. Never allow the defendant to write the letter for you.
Introduce yourself to the Court. Explain how you know (and how long you have known) the defendant. Make it personal when describing the defendant's characteristics. Can you think of examples of good deeds done by the defendant (hard work, dedication to family/church/community, generosity, etc).
First of all, make sure you use a proper salutation, ie. Dear Judge (surname). And also make sure you include whatever case number is assigned to the case you are writing about. Finally, refrain from melodramatic use of emotions. If giving your assessment of a situation, include all necessary details, accurately.