How to Write a Friendship Letter for a Court Hearing
A friendship letter, often called a character reference letter, often is requested for court hearings. A judge might request that a person involved in a court case obtain one or more friendship letters. These letters are designed to offer information about the person in question such as the person's skills, qualifications and character traits. When writing a friendship letter, be honest and include only positive details you know.
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Instructions
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Determine how well you know the person. A person only should write a friendship letter for a person he or she knows extremely well. If someone asks you to write the letter that you do not know well, you should not write it. Close friends, family members and coworkers typically are the people who write friendship letters.
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Use a word processing program. A typed friendship letter looks more professional than a handwritten one. Use any type of word processing software to create this letter.
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Address the letter. A friendship letter should be addressed directly to the judge. If you know the judge's name, address it to the judge. Otherwise, address the letter to the courthouse.
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Introduce yourself. A friendship letter is taken more seriously when it's written by a credible person. Write the first paragraph of the letter about yourself, including any qualifications that will make you appear credible. Include details about how you know and how long you have known the person. "He is my father" is an example of how the relationship is described in the letter.
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Describe the person in question in the next two to five paragraphs. Include all positive details such as skills and work and personal history. Use examples and adjectives to describe any positive character traits that describe the person. Avoid stating negative traits.
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Summarize the ideas. Use the last paragraph to summarize your thoughts and feelings about this person. Include any other important facts or details you have not mentioned yet.
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Close the letter. Offer a thank you to the court for taking the time to read this letter. Encourage the court to consider these words and close by including your contact information.
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Sign the letter. At the bottom, sign and date the friendship letter. Mail it or take it in person to the courthouse.
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Tips & Warnings
A friendship letters varies in length, but is typically five to eight paragraphs long
References
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