Know what to say in your letter to the judge

Answer a few plain questions, one at a time, and watch your answers become a one-page letter. Every word is yours. We show you what judges look for and what to leave out.

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Writing your letter and seeing it cost nothing. The PDF and Word file are $12.

October 31, 2026

The Honorable Ellen Park

Re: Daniel Ruiz

Dear Judge Park,

My name is Angela Ruiz. I am Daniel’s older sister, and I have worked as a dental hygienist in Columbus, Ohio for eleven years.

I have known Daniel all his life. We grew up in the same house, and I see him most Sundays when he comes to dinner with my family.

I know Daniel has pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and that a woman was hurt in the crash. He told me himself, and he has not made excuses.

When our father got sick in 2021, Daniel moved back home to look after him. For two years he drove Dad to dialysis three mornings a week before his shift at the warehouse, and he never once complained to me about it.

Since the crash, Daniel has gone to an AA meeting every week, and I have driven him to several of them. He has kept his job. He can live with my family, and I will help him get to every appointment.

I ask you to consider the person I have described when you decide Daniel’s sentence. Thank you for reading my letter.

Sincerely,

Angela Ruiz

Columbus, Ohio

(614) 555-0142 · angela.ruiz@example.com

A sample: Angela’s letter for her brother Daniel.

What is the letter for?

Pick the hearing, and the questions will fit it. If you’re not sure, pick “I’m not sure”.

What goes in your letter

This is the order judges and defense lawyers recommend. We ask about each part in turn.

Who you are and what you do.
How you know the person, and for how long.
That you know why they are in court. One or two sentences are enough.
What they are like, shown by a moment you saw yourself.
The support they have now: work, family, a place to live.
What you would like the judge to keep in mind, without naming a sentence.

Before you send it, we check your letter

“It was only one mistake”

can sound as if you’re making the charge smaller than it is. Judges respond better when a letter takes it seriously.

The check points at words lawyers say can hurt a letter: arguing the case, blaming others, naming a sentence. You decide what to change.

What judges say makes a letter count

Real moments

One true story you saw yourself says more than a list of good qualities.

Your own words

Judges notice form letters and letters a computer wrote, and give them little weight.

Short and honest

One page is enough. Don’t argue the case or blame anyone.

What it costs

Writing your letter, seeing it as you go and checking it cost nothing, and you don’t need an account. You pay only to download the finished files.

One letter

$12 once

Your letter as a print-ready PDF
The same letter as a Word file you can change later

Letters from family and friends

$30 once

Up to six letters for the same person, each as a PDF and a Word file
One file for the lawyer with every letter and a cover page that lists them

Questions

Can you write the letter for me?

No. The judge needs to hear from you, so we ask the questions and you answer in your own words. We put your answers in the order judges expect and lay them out as a proper letter.

Who do I send the letter to?

Usually to the lawyer of the person you’re writing for, not to the judge. Ask the lawyer when they need it and whether to sign it by hand.

How long should the letter be?

One page is enough for most hearings. A short letter with one specific story is easier for a judge to read than a long one.

Can a letter change the outcome?

No one can promise that. Judges say the letters they read closely come from people who know the person well and describe what they have seen, honestly and in their own words.

Is this legal advice?

No. We’re not a law firm. We help you write down what you know about someone, and the lawyer decides how to use it.

Do you keep my letter?

No. Your letter is saved in this browser on this device, and it never reaches our server. We don’t ask for case details beyond what goes in the letter.

Start with the person you’re writing for

Your letter is saved on this device as you go, so you can stop and come back.

Start your letter