A character letter to a judge should establish your credibility, paint a full picture of the defendant and be respectful, among other things. The character reference letter for court serves the purpose of offering the Judge insights into the Defendant's moral or mental attributes.Introduce yourself in the opening paragraph. 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. Character Recommendation Templates You Can Use. Below are three examples of recommendation letters for a defendant in a Texas criminal case. If you've been asked to write to the judge, use our sample character reference letter and fill-in-the-blank template. What's a character reference letter? 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. In this article, we will discuss how to write a formal letter to a judge, along with the proper format and a sample letter.