I am writing this letter on behalf of a family member mine who is presently before you on criminal charges and is due to be sentenced shortly. A character letter plays a dual role.Your Honor, I am writing you concerning my sentencing hearing. I understand that I have made a decision that will impact my entire life. In this article, we will discuss how to write a formal letter to a judge, along with the proper format and a sample letter. Set up the letter exactly as the defendant would: your address, then the date two lines beneath that, then the judge's address two lines beneath the date. The letter should include the name of the court your case was filed in and the case number at the top right. Put the caption (St. v. A character letter to a judge should establish your credibility, paint a full picture of the defendant and be respectful, among other things. Writing a character letter for a judge can be a daunting task.