How to Address a Letter to a Judge
Follow these steps to correspond effectively with the person who has the power to swing the gavel.
Up next in How to Write a Letter (13 videos)
Learn how to pen a proper letter with the tips in these Howcast videos.
You Will Need
- Pen and paper or computer and printer
- Judge's name
- Court's address
- Case number
- Case name (optional)
Steps
-
Step 1
Include your contact info
Write the date, your name, and your address at the top right corner.
-
Step 2
Indicate the recipient
Write the judge's name and the court's address along the left margin, beneath your own. Use the title "Honorable" before the judge's name -- for instance, "Honorable John Smith."
-
Step 3
Include a salutation
Open your letter with "Dear Honorable John Smith," "Dear Judge John Smith," or "Your Honor."
-
Step 4
State your purpose
State your purpose for writing the judge very clearly in the first sentence. Keep the letter brief and to the point -- a maximum of one page is ideal.
-
Write the letter in the language you know best, as most judges have interpreters available to them.
-
Step 5
Identify your case
Include the case number to which you are referring and be sure to sign your name to the letter.
-
Refer to the case using the parties involved, such as "People vs. Name of Defendant," if you don't know the case number.
-
Step 6
Don't write in vain
Don't present evidence in your letter. Most judges will stop reading and you will fail to get your point across.
-
Two court systems exist in the U.S. -- federal court and state court. State courts have the broadest jurisdiction.
