Include specific examples of how the person has helped you or someone else, or how he or she has been a leader or an inspiration. Highlight the defendant's positive traits, such as honesty, integrity, hard work, or community involvement.I am writing this letter on behalf of a former student of mine who is presently before you on criminal charges and is due to be sentenced shortly. Introduce yourself in the opening paragraph. In this article, we will discuss how to write a formal letter to a judge, along with the proper format and a sample letter. The goal of character reference letters is to tell the judge a story. To give the judge insight into a defendant as a person. A character letter to a judge should establish your credibility, paint a full picture of the defendant and be respectful, among other things. A character letter is designed to show support for a defendant in a criminal case. These letters have strong potential to influence the judge.