The goal of character reference letters is to tell the judge a story. To give the judge insight into a defendant as a person.Defend a friend or family member's moral character in court. Use our Character Reference Letter for Court template to easily write your document. The introduction should state who you are, how long you've known the individual, and why you feel the need to make this recommendation to the court. A character letter to a judge should establish your credibility, paint a full picture of the defendant and be respectful, among other things. What parents and witnesses need to know about character reference letters to the court for child custody. Includes a downloadable sample and template. Know what the person is pleading guilty to. You should clearly state this in the character reference as you will see in the templates below.