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. A character letter plays a dual role.A character letter to a judge should establish your credibility, paint a full picture of the defendant and be respectful, among other things. Introduce yourself in the opening paragraph. The best character letters often begin with the writer explaining who he or she is and what he or she does. You can go to the courthouse and request to review them from the court file. They are public records.