Writing a character letter for court can be really daunting. Especially if you’re not used to writing such documents. Not to worry, you will definitely learn how to write a character letter in this article.
Whether you are a close friend or family member of the defendant, writing a character letter can be rewarding. Plus, it is an opportunity to try to help someone in a difficult situation.
Ever wanted to write a character letter for court but didn’t know where to start? This article will guide you.
See also: How to Write a Recommendation Letter for a Student | Step Guide
What Is a Character Letter?
A character letter is a recommendation for someone. Character letters are used in court cases, immigration cases, job applications and loan applications.
Character letters are only written by people who know the person well. For example, if you’re applying for a job and have not yet worked there, or even if you have, your current employer won’t write your character letter because they don’t know you very well.
Your former employers might write your character letter because they know how hardworking and dependable you are from working with you in previous jobs.
When Could You Be Asked To Write a Character Letter?
You could be requested to write a character letter for a variety of reasons. In this article, we’ll go over some of the most common scenarios.
- If you’re applying for a job
- If you’re applying for financial aid
- Character letters are often used in divorce cases.
- Character letters are also used in child custody cases.
- Character letters can be written for criminal cases, such as DUIs, domestic violence and more.
- Character letters are frequently requested by immigration courts to help prove that you should be allowed to stay in the U.S., especially if your case involves work or education opportunities that would benefit our country’s economy.
See also: How to Write a Letter of Intent | Full Samples |PDF
There are a few different situations where you might need to share your Character letter:
- When asked by the court: If you’ve been asked by the court to write a Character letter, this likely is because someone has been convicted of a crime and is appealing for a more lenient sentence. It’s also possible that they may not have committed any crimes at all but have been accused of doing so in some way, for example, falsely reporting abuse.
- When asked by an attorney or legal representative: Attorneys often ask witnesses and parties in court cases to write Character letters on behalf of those who may be involved in litigation or other legal proceedings.
- When asked directly by another person involved in the case, e.g., your friend/family member. If someone asks you directly whether they can use your Character letter as evidence in their case briefs, then it’s best to say yes.
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What Should a Character Letter Include?
- Describe your relationship with the person in detail.
- Your observations about their character.
- What impact have they had on your life and others’ lives?
- How they have been an example to others in their community or family.
- The person’s name and contact information, including email address, phone number and address
- A succinct rundown of the person’s employment history
- Briefly describe how you know the person and how long you have known them.
- Why you are recommending them for a position or opportunity (e.g., they are trustworthy, dependable, hardworking)
- Any other relevant information about the candidate that supports your recommendation.
See also: How to Send a Letter Internationally| Simple Step-by-Step Guide
Step By Step Guide On How To Write a Character Letter
This is the essential part of your letter. It’s your opportunity to show that you know the person, and it’s also a chance to give an explanation of why they should be chosen for the award.
Your first step is to write about yourself and your relationship with the person you’re writing about. You might also want to include how you met and how long you’ve known each other.
Then, describe what makes this person unique and what qualities or accomplishments make them worthy of receiving this recognition. Explain what they do on a daily basis that makes them stand out.
Read the steps below:
Step 1: Address the letter to the appropriate recipient. If you’re writing a letter of recommendation for a student, ensure you address it to her faculty advisor or professor. If you know the person’s name, address him by first name and last name; if not, use just his last name.
Step 2: Introduce yourself as someone familiar with the candidate’s work and character. Explain that you have known the person for several years or that your relationship goes back many years. For example: “I have known Jane Doe since she was in high school, and I am proud to call her my friend.”
Step 3: Describe what kind of person he is and why he deserves this recommendation. Give examples of how he has demonstrated these qualities through his actions and behaviour over time. For example: “Jane has always been an enthusiastic volunteer who puts her heart and soul into every assignment.”
Step 4: Conclude by reiterating why this person would make an excellent candidate for this position or program in particular. If possible, mention anything unique about the candidate that may not be immediately obvious from reading his resume but would be helpful to know when making a hiring decision based on merit.
These easy tips will also help:
- Be honest.
- Be specific.
- Be concise, not flowery or long-winded.
- Keep it objective and relevant to the case at hand.
- Don’t exaggerate or make claims that you can’t back up.
How to Write A Character- Sample One (Text)
Andy Wilson
ABC Main Street
Anytown, Houston 12345,
XXX-XXX-XXXX
4 August 2022
To Whom It May Concern,
Jenner Bruce and I have been friends for eight years. I’ve known Jenner in various contexts during the years we’ve known one another. Since the coming of my first child five years ago, Jenner, a neighbour, has watched my kids. She has since started watching my three kids since that time. Jenner has shown amazing maturity and ingenuity during the eight years I’ve known her.
Beyond her years, Jenner exhibits maturity. When she started watching our children, she was just eleven years old, yet very mature. Jenner even started a practice of summarizing each babysitting assignment with details on what they did and how each child behaved. She exhibits a remarkable level of professionalism.
Jenner is a imaginative person. She has created several games and artwork throughout the years for kids of all ages, from infants to eight-year-olds. She once collaborated with our kids to design a play, costume and set, which they then presented to us after a week of rehearsal. This kind of originality and initiative is uncommon among youngsters.
Young Jenner is a charming, talented, intellectual, and committed individual. In every situation I’ve seen her in, she always thinks quickly and reacts logically. She is capable of responding thoughtfully and maturely to any scenario, which I am confident in stating.
If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to get in touch with me at XXX-XXX-XXXX or [email protected].
Regards,
Andy Wilson
How to Write A Character- Sample Two(PDF)
How to Write A Character- Sample Three (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
The first step in writing a character reference letter is to identify yourself. You may want to include your title, occupation and relationship to the person you are writing about. For example, “I am a second-grade teacher at Sandy Elementary School, and I have taught Brian for three years.
A judge wants to know what kind of person you are and how you interact with others. The better you can describe yourself and your character, the better your chance of being granted parole.
A good character letter explains the relationship between the person writing it and the person who is being written about.
It should also be brief but also include enough information about the person’s character to make it clear why they should be allowed to work at your company.
You might need a character letter for several reasons.
If you’re applying for a job requiring a background check, the employer may ask you to provide them with one.
They want to ensure that you are who you say you are and that there are no other issues regarding your character or past behaviour.
If you’re applying for financial aid or some other sort of scholarship, the school may require letters of reference from those who know you well. These letters can help the school better understand who you are as a person, what kind of impact you’ve had on people in your life, and what sort of student you would be at their institution.
Character letters can also be helpful when applying for employment or licensing if someone has a criminal record or if there is some other issue that might affect their ability to perform their job correctly or safely.
Conclusion
If you think that you might need to write a character letter for court, it is essential to understand some key considerations when writing one. Once you recognise these considerations, you will likely be able to write a compelling character letter.
Writing a character support letter is an essential step in the legal process. These letters help the judge or magistrate understand the person better by getting a glimpse at what they’re like outside of the charge or conviction that brought them to court.
To write a great letter, you should draw on your knowledge of the person, their character, their lifestyle, and so forth.
Recommendation
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- How to Write a Recommendation Letter for a Student | Step Guide
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