A character letter to a judge should establish your credibility, paint a full picture of the defendant and be respectful, among other things. 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 should be written in a formal and respectful tone. How to write a character reference letter? What parents and witnesses need to know about character reference letters to the court for child custody. Includes a downloadable sample and template.