If you think that writing a character reference letter for a friend or a colleague is difficult, try writing one that will appear in court! Court character reference letters are requested primarily when a friend, neighbor or someone else known to you has (allegedly) broken the law and wants you to vouch for him / her in a court of law.
Firstly, you will need to make sure that you are comfortable with the responsibility of writing a character certificate for the said individual. You should be aware that you may be asked to appear in court as a character witness once a character reference letter has been sent out with your signature on it. If you are comfortable with this arrangement, you may write a character reference letter detailing why you believe that the individual cannot be held guilty for whatever he has been charged with.
There are some things that you must avoid when writing a character reference letter for court. It is not your job to suggest penalties or be critical of the law so you must word your letter carefully. Your job is only to provide a positive image of the accused as best as you possibly can and without misleading the court.
Below is an example of character reference letter that you can write for someone who needs it to be submitted to court:
Character Reference Letter for Court
December 23, 2014
The Presiding Magistrate
Utah Magistrate’s Court
63 Salt Lake Road
Holladay, UT 82922
Your Honor:
Scott Brisk approached me to write this character reference letter to be presented at court for the sentence hearing of his theft charge. I have known Scott’s neighbor and friend for the previous 20 years. I believe that it is completely out of character for him to be indulged in larceny of any type.
I can confirm that Scott is a man of great integrity and is completely dedicated to his family and work. I truly believe that this is a case of mistaken identity as Scott is not physically capable of climbing a wall and carrying property back up the wall (as is described in his charge sheet) as he suffers from arthritis. I am positive that a doctor’s verdict on his condition will confirm the information that I have provided here.
Scott is a member of the ‘Save The Children’ movement and has been a constant source of inspiration for his friends and the children that he works with. Since the commission of the offence that he has been charged with, Scott and I have had many conversations during which he has made it evident that he is downhearted about the deleterious repercussions this recorded conviction will have on his career and the impact that it will have on the children who look up to him.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at (222) 222-2222 if you wish to verify the contents of this statement.
Regards,
Charles Sheen
32 Some Ave
Holladay, UT 80121
(999) 000-0000
Charles.sheen @ emil . com