There are many different pieces of evidence presented during a court case. This includes witness statements, trace evidence, forensic evidence, circumstantial details, and much more.
One thing the defendant’s lawyer will try to do is paint a good picture of the accused, showing that they’re more of a credit to society than a danger.
Court character reference letters play a critical role here, and below we will reveal how to draft an effective one.
What is a court character reference letter
A court character reference letter is a letter that demonstrates the good character of an individual involved in criminal court proceedings, written by someone who knows the person being sentenced and is willing to vouch for them.
How do you draft an effective character letter for court purposes
There are a number of different approaches you can use to ensure your character letter is professional and effective. This includes:
Consider using a template for your character letter
There are a lot of different letter templates online nowadays, so you should have no trouble finding one for your court reference letter.
While you should never simply copy and paste a generic letter, you can use a template to make sure that the structure is correct and you don’t forget any critical pieces of information.
You can download a template, and then all you need to do is swap the dummy text for your own text. It really is that simple!
There are both paid and free templates for letters available today. The key is to choose one that looks professional and contains a layout that is right for you based on the information you’re going to include about the defendant in question.
Create your structure and then fill in the details
Planning is key when putting together a letter as important as this one. This is why we recommend sitting down and making a list of everything you’re going to include. You can then organize this list in a logical manner. After which you can start to craft the letter content. This is much more effective than simply sitting down and writing with no sense of direction.
So, what sort of things should be included in your character reference letter? Here’s a basic structure that you can follow:
- Introduce yourself
- State your occupation
- What qualifications do you hold?
- How do you know the defendant?
- Make the court aware that you know about the proceedings
- Give some background information about the relationship you have with the defendant
- Explain the positive qualities the defendant has
- Does the defendant do any charity or community work?
- What steps is the defendant taking to be a better person?
- You can then add anything else you think is appropriate to show that the defendant is a good person
As you can see, we start off by making your qualifications and job clear. This is to build credibility about the person you are, which in turn helps to make the character reference letter more credible.
Be mindful of some of the things you SHOULDN’T do when crafting this letter
It’s just as important to be mindful of the things you shouldn’t do when crafting a court reference letter, as it is the things you should do. After all, you don’t want to inadvertently include information that could work against the defendant or make your letter less credible.
It’s vital to remember that magistrates get bored very quickly. Think about how many cases they handle every day, and how many letters they view every day. Because of this, there’s no need to go into the complete history of the relationship you share with the defendant. This part of the letter should never amount to more than a page.
A page is more than enough space for you to give a clear picture of your relationship, how long you’ve known each other, and how you ended up being acquainted.
It’s also wise to avoid exaggeration. No one is perfect. We all have our flaws. While you want to paint a positive image of the defendant, it’s also important to be genuine and realistic. If you exaggerate and paint the defendant to be the perfect angel, you’re only going to end up creating suspicion.
You should never include information you know is incorrect or untrue. Furthermore, don’t make sentence recommendations or suggestions. It’s not your job to ask the court to take a specific course of action or to be lenient. It’s simply your job to speak about the defendant and the qualities they possess. The court can do the rest.
We have seen numerous incidents where people have attempted to argue against the charges or suggest that the person at the center of all of this isn’t guilty. This is something else you shouldn’t do.
It’s vital to remember that a character reference is only presented in court after a guilty plea or conviction, so there’s no point in trying to claim innocence or suggest that the charges are unfair.
Show the person as more than a defendant
The best character reference letters enable the judge to view the defendant as more than merely a defendant. They encourage the judge to make a human connection with the individual on trial.
Think about what makes your colleague, family member, or friend more than a defendant. What sort of story can you tell to convey this message to the court?
When we make a human connection, and we see someone as more than what they’re accused of, we tend to be more lenient.
So, how do you achieve this? Well, rather than simply describing characteristics and personality traits, show them. So, rather than saying your friend is a very loyal person, tell a story that displays how he or she is loyal.
A story is going to stand out more in the mind of a judge than an adjective will, ensuring your letter is as effective as possible.
Format your letter in a professional manner
Now is definitely not the time to experiment with fancy fonts. Instead, you need to ensure your letter is professional.
Generally, letters should be typed on 8.5 x 11-inch standard paper. Remember, your aim here is for the court to read your letter, so you need to make this as easy as possible for them.
Nine times out of 10, we always recommend that you type the letter using a standard font, such as Sans Serif or Ariel. The only exception to this is when a child writes the character reference letter. In this case, a handwritten letter can often be much more powerful.
Character letters should incorporate your email address, phone number, mailing address, and of course, your full name, enabling the court to easily verify all of this information.
Make sure that you address the letter to either Judge [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME] or Honorable [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME].
It’s not necessary to put the case number on the letter, but don’t panic if you’ve already done this. The lawyer is going to submit the letter, so they will ensure all of these details are overseen.
Spend some time reading published court character reference letters
Last but not least, it’s a good idea to take some time to review some court character reference letters that have been published online.
The great thing about the Internet today is that you can get access to documents and information that you would never dream of being able to access before.
This means you can view both effective and failed character reference letters, which will help you to get an even better understanding of what works and what doesn’t.
Again, you should never simply copy one of these letters, yet you can use them for inspiration. You can understand what sort of character reference letters work well and which have failed to hit the mark.
Of course, there’s a lot that is considered when sentencing an individual, so don’t put the entire outcome of the case on the character letter, but do consider the role it played.
Drafting an effective character letter that will make a difference in court
So there you have it: everything you need to know about drafting an effective character letter for court purposes.
We know it can be intimidating to construct such an imperative court document, but there are templates and writing aids available to ensure you do this in a professional manner.
Follow the tips that we’ve provided above, and we’re sure you’ll be able to produce a character reference letter that makes an impact for all of the right reasons.
Author bio:
Kerry Leigh Harrison has over 11+ years of experience as a content writer. She graduated from university with a First Class Hons Degree in Multimedia Journalism. In her spare time, she enjoys attending sports and music events.