The short answer
A character letter for court is a short, signed letter from someone who knows the defendant, written to the sentencing judge to describe who the person is beyond the charge. Say who you are and how long you’ve known them, give specific examples of their character, and acknowledge the conviction without arguing guilt. Address it “Dear Judge Lastname:” but send it to the defense attorney, not the judge, so the attorney can file it.
What is a character letter for court?
A character letter, also called a character reference letter or letter of support, is a letter to the judge from someone who knows a person facing sentencing. Its job is to show the judge the whole person, not just the offense. The Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Oklahoma describes these letters as a way to “highlight positive attributes of the defendant and help the court to get to know the defendant outside of their criminal charge.”
Judges are allowed to read this kind of information. In federal court, 18 U.S.C. § 3661 says no limitation shall be placed on the information about a convicted person’s “background, character, and conduct” that the court may consider in imposing a sentence, and 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(1) lists “the history and characteristics of the defendant” among the factors the judge must weigh. State sentencing laws differ, so the defense attorney is the person to ask how letters are used in a particular state court.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Court rules vary by state, by court, and sometimes by judge.
When do courts accept character letters?
Sentencing is the most common use. Federal defender offices collect letters from family, friends, and coworkers and attach them to the sentencing memorandum the attorney files before the hearing. State public defenders do the same: Maricopa County’s Public Defender in Arizona tells clients to give their attorney letters of support and says people who can’t attend sentencing can submit a letter.
Other cases work differently. In a custody case, witness statements are generally handled like other evidence; California’s self-help guide, for example, has witnesses swear to their statement on a declaration that’s filed and served. And a letter sent privately to the judge in any pending case can be an improper one-sided contact.
| Situation | How letters usually reach the judge | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Federal criminal sentencing | Through the defense attorney, attached to the sentencing submission | In the Southern District of New York, Judge Dale E. Ho’s January 2026 rules make the defendant responsible for filing letters from friends and relatives, served two weeks before sentencing |
| State criminal sentencing (Maricopa County, Arizona example) | Sent to the defense attorney, who reviews and submits them | Letters may be addressed to the sentencing judge |
| Child custody hearing (California example) | Filed with the court and served on the other parent before the hearing | California’s self-help guide says witnesses can write what they know and swear it’s true on a Declaration (form MC-030) |
| Any pending case where you write privately to the judge | Generally not allowed | Utah’s courts explain you can’t communicate with the judge without the other party having a chance to be involved |
Who should write a character letter?
Anyone who knows the person well and can speak from firsthand experience. The U.S. Probation Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee lists family members, friends, teachers, coaches, community, church, or cultural leaders, colleagues, and bosses, and adds that the writer should have good character and a good reputation. The Vermont Federal Public Defender asks for letters from people who know the defendant “in a variety of life situations,” so a few letters from different parts of the person’s life can say more than many letters that repeat each other.
Write it yourself. The Federal Community Defender for the Eastern District of Michigan says never to let the defendant write the letter for you, because the court may contact you to verify that you wrote it, and to limit yourself to things you know personally.
What should a character letter to a judge include?
Defender offices give consistent advice on content. The Maryland Federal Public Defender says a letter carries more weight when it explains exactly how you formed your impression, and that specific stories help the judge understand the person. Cover these points:
- Who you are: your name and what you do for a living (Vermont FPD).
- How you know the person and for how long: relative, coworker, neighbor, childhood friend, and in what setting (Maryland and Oklahoma FPDs).
- That you know why they’re in court. The Michigan defender says to make clear you know why the person is in court; Oklahoma says not to be afraid to acknowledge the conviction.
- Specific examples: a time they helped someone, handled a hard situation, or showed up for family or work. Maryland says anecdotes give the judge real insight.
- Their role in other people’s lives, work history, health, or obstacles they’ve faced, if you know about them (Maryland FPD).
- Signs of remorse or change you’ve seen yourself, such as steady work or completed treatment (Oklahoma FPD).
- How you’ll support them after sentencing, if that’s true (Michigan defender).
- Your signature, the date, and your contact information (Michigan and Vermont).
What should you leave out of a letter to a judge?
The defender guidance agrees on what to leave out:
- Don’t claim the person is innocent. A sentencing letter comes after guilt has been decided, often by a guilty plea. Maryland says the letter should not assert innocence, Vermont says not to insist the person is really innocent, and Oklahoma says not to defend the act or express disbelief of guilt.
- Don’t retell the offense. Oklahoma says not to discuss the details of the offense, and Michigan says there’s usually no need to.
- Don’t attack the victims or law enforcement. Michigan’s defender is blunt: “This just doesn’t help.”
- Don’t ask for a particular sentence on your own. Maryland says not to ask for one without first discussing it with the defendant’s attorney. Some offices want that argument: Vermont’s list asks writers to explain why leniency fits. Follow what the attorney handling the case asks for.
- Don’t include private identifiers. Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 49.1 limits court filings to the last four digits of Social Security and taxpayer numbers, the birth year, a minor’s initials, the last four digits of financial accounts, and the city and state of a home address.
- Don’t write anything you wouldn’t want public. The U.S. District Court for New Hampshire dockets sentencing letters it receives outside a sentencing memorandum and makes them viewable at the clerk’s office public terminals, and Judge Ho’s rules require letters to be filed on the court’s electronic docket unless they’re sealed or redacted.
How do you address a letter to a judge?
Use the judge’s full name with “The Honorable” in the address block and “Judge” plus the last name in the greeting. Georgetown Law’s guide to writing to judges for clerkships says the first line of the recipient address should read “The Honorable [first name] [last name]” and the salutation “Dear Judge [last name]:” with a colon. Oklahoma’s Federal Public Defender also accepts “Honorable Judge [last name].” If you don’t know who the judge is, the Vermont defender’s instructions use “Dear Judge:”; ask the attorney for the name first.
| Part of the letter | What to write | Example (fictional judge) |
|---|---|---|
| Address block, first line | The Honorable, then the judge’s full name | The Honorable Ellen R. Park |
| Address block, next lines | The court’s name and address, as the attorney gives it | Lakeview County Superior Court |
| Salutation | Dear Judge, the last name, and a colon | Dear Judge Park: |
| Salutation if the name is unknown | Dear Judge and a colon | Dear Judge: |
| Closing | A formal closing, your signature, and your typed name | Respectfully, or Sincerely, then your name |
How should a character letter be formatted?
Keep it to about one page. The Michigan defender says one page is usually enough and asks writers to be concise and sincere. Type it if you can: Maryland and Oklahoma both prefer typed letters, and Vermont accepts handwriting only if it’s clear and legible. Sign it, add your printed name below the signature, and date it, as Oklahoma and Michigan advise.
Use a standard formal layout: your contact details, the date, the judge’s address block, the salutation, three to five short paragraphs, and a closing. The IRIS business letter guide walks through block format, margins, and spacing, so it isn’t repeated here.
How do you submit a character letter to a judge?
Give it to the defense attorney unless the attorney or the court tells you otherwise. The Maryland Federal Public Defender says to start the letter “Dear Judge” but to mail, email, or fax it to the defendant’s attorney, and that you should not send it directly to the judge. Vermont says not to send it to the court or the probation department, and Oklahoma says to give it to the attorney to present to the court. Maricopa County’s Public Defender says the attorney reviews letters and submits them to the court.
Timing matters. The attorney has to gather letters before filing the sentencing submission; under Judge Ho’s rules in the Southern District of New York, the defendant’s submission is served two weeks before the sentencing date. Ask the attorney for a deadline and send your letter well before it.
Sending a letter straight to the judge can create an ex parte problem: a communication with the judge that the other side doesn’t get to see. Utah’s courts explain that you generally can’t file something without sending a copy to the other parties, call the judge, or visit the judge in person. In a family case where you’re a party, follow your court’s filing and service steps; California’s self-help guide says documents and witness declarations must be filed and served on the other parent before the hearing, or the judge may not consider them.
What does a character letter for court look like?
Here’s a short sample from a fictional coworker about a fictional defendant. Every name, place, and phone number is invented. Adapt the structure, not the words; a letter that sounds like you is more believable than a borrowed one.
Maria Delgado, Riverton, OH, (614) 555-0147
October 9, 2026
The Honorable Ellen R. Park, Lakeview County Superior Court
Dear Judge Park:
My name is Maria Delgado, and I’m the shift supervisor at Riverton Community Food Bank, where I’ve worked for 11 years. I have known Daniel Reyes for six years, first as a volunteer on my Saturday crew and for the last four years as a paid warehouse employee I supervise.
I know Daniel has pleaded guilty to the charge before your court, and he has talked with me openly about it. He told me he is ashamed and that he wants to make it right. I’m disappointed in the choice he made, and I’ve told him so.
The Daniel I know is reliable and generous with his time. When our walk-in freezer failed during a heat wave in July 2024, he stayed until 2 a.m. moving 3,000 pounds of food to a partner pantry so none of it was lost. He has trained more than 20 new volunteers, and two of them later joined our staff.
Since his arrest, he has not missed a shift. He also told me he finished the counseling program his attorney arranged, and he has asked me to keep checking in with him. I will continue to supervise him and will hold his job for him.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
Respectfully,
(signature) Maria Delgado
Can you mail a character letter with IRIS?
Yes, if the attorney asks for a mailed copy. IRIS is an independent print-and-mail service, not USPS or any agency. Upload your letter as a US Letter-size PDF and IRIS prints it and mails it by USPS First-Class Mail to a US address. You enter the sender and recipient addresses and review the document, addresses, options, and total before paying. A one-page black-and-white letter is $3.20, with no stamps or envelope needed. Certified Mail adds $6.95, making a one-page black-and-white certified letter $10.15, with tracking on your order page.
Know the limits before you choose it. IRIS prints the PDF you upload, so it can’t supply a handwritten ink signature or a notarization; if the attorney wants an original signed letter, sign it in ink and mail or deliver it yourself. IRIS doesn’t guarantee delivery dates, and order status isn’t proof of delivery, so leave time before the attorney’s deadline. IRIS can’t enclose physical items, so photos or certificates would need to be pages of the same PDF. Keep Social Security, driver’s license, and passport numbers out of the letter; IRIS’s acceptable-use policy doesn’t allow uploading them without a written agreement.
If you’re a party sending your own papers to a court, IRIS’s court document cover letter template builds a cover letter that identifies the court, case number, recipient, and enclosed documents. Its page says to confirm the court’s current filing and service rules before mailing.
Sources & further reading
Product details checked against the IRIS API contract when this article was published. Platform references can change; consult the linked documentation when implementing.
- Maryland Federal Public Defender: Writing a character letter
- Federal Community Defender, E.D. Michigan: Guidelines for letters of support
- Federal Public Defender, N.D. Oklahoma: FAQ – General
- Federal Public Defender, District of Vermont: Letter of support
- U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, E.D. Tennessee: Family involvement
- Maricopa County Public Defender: Criminal process
- U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y.: Judge Dale E. Ho, Individual Rules and Practices in Criminal Cases (January 8, 2026)
- U.S. District Court, D.N.H.: Sentencing letters/criminal cases
- U.S. District Court, D.N.H.: Public notice on sentencing letters
- 18 U.S.C. § 3661: Use of information for sentencing (Cornell LII)
- 18 U.S.C. § 3553: Imposition of a sentence (Cornell LII)
- Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 49.1: Privacy protection for filings (Cornell LII)
- Utah State Courts: No private (ex parte) communications with the court allowed
- California Courts Self-Help Guide: Submit documents for your family law hearing
- Georgetown Law: Cover letter guide for judicial clerkships
Published by IRIS Postal Forms, operated by Great Lakes Computing Office LLC. Send a correction.