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How to address a judge in a letter

Pick the court and type the judge’s last name — we’ll show exactly what goes at the top of the letter and how to open it. Examples for every kind of judge are below.

Quick answer: Write “Dear Judge [Last name],” in the greeting — for example “Dear Judge Thompson,”. If you don’t know the name, write “Dear Your Honor,”. In the address block use “The Honorable [Full name]” with the court’s name, refer to the judge as “the Court” in the body, and close with “Respectfully,”.

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The three parts of addressing a judge

A letter to a judge has three places where the judge’s title matters, and each one uses a different form:

  1. The address block (top left, under the date): the formal title, “The Honorable”, followed by the judge’s full name, the court and its address.
  2. The greeting: “Dear Judge Last name,”. If you don’t know the name, “Dear Your Honor,”.
  3. In the body: refer to the judge as “the Court” or “Your Honor” — for example, “I respectfully ask the Court to consider…”.

Examples for each court

State trial court judge

The Honorable Sarah Thompson
[County] Superior Court
[Court street address]
[City, State ZIP]

Dear Judge Thompson,

Federal district judge

The Honorable Michael Grant
United States District Judge
United States District Court for the [District]

Dear Judge Grant,

Federal magistrate judge

The Honorable Lisa Chen
United States Magistrate Judge

Dear Judge Chen,

Appellate judge or state supreme court justice

The Honorable Robert Hale
Justice, [State] Supreme Court

Dear Justice Hale,

Names above are fictional examples.

Common mistakes

  • “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”. It reads as a form letter. Use the judge’s name or “Your Honor”.
  • Using the judge’s first name in the greeting.
  • Mr., Mrs. or Ms. instead of Judge.
  • “Honorable” in the greeting — “Dear Honorable Thompson” is wrong; the greeting is “Dear Judge Thompson,”.
  • Sending it straight to the judge. Most letters about a pending case should go through the defense attorney, who knows how that judge wants them submitted.

Where to find the judge’s name

The defense attorney will know. The judge’s name also appears on court notices and on the online case docket for most courts. If you can’t find it, “Dear Your Honor,” is perfectly correct — it is better than guessing.

Now write the letter itself

We start from this page’s situation — just check a few boxes and add one true story.

1 · You
2 · What you've seen
3 · Your story
4 · Your letter

Let's start with you.

There are no wrong answers, and you can change anything later.

Who are you to them?
Family relationship (optional)
What is the case about? (pick the closest — "Not sure" is fine)

Tell us about them.

Only what you know to be true — a judge can tell the difference.

What are they like? (optional — only choose what you know is true)
What have they done since the arrest? (judges weigh this — only check what's true)
About you — for the opening line and signature (optional, you can add it later)
How will you support them after release? (housing, a job, rides — the board looks for this)

The moment you'd want the judge to see.

One true memory does more than any list of good qualities. Small, everyday moments are often the most powerful.

What have you seen them do? (optional, but it's the heart of the letter)
Write it the way you'd tell a friend. Details help: who, where, what they did. Please don't write about the case itself — we'll handle that part carefully.
Looking ahead, how will you stand by them? (optional — judges look for a real support system)
Does anyone depend on them? (optional)

Here is the beginning of your letter.

What we did for you

    Sample print-ready page
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    Questions people ask

    Do I write “Dear Judge” or “Dear Your Honor”?

    If you know the judge’s last name, write “Dear Judge Thompson,”. If you don’t, “Dear Your Honor,” is correct and respectful.

    How do I address a female judge?

    Exactly the same way: “Dear Judge <Last name>,”. Don’t use Mrs., Ms., Miss or Sir/Madam.

    What does “The Honorable” mean on the envelope or address block?

    It is the formal title for judges used in the address block and on envelopes — “The Honorable Sarah Thompson”. In the greeting you switch to “Dear Judge Thompson,”.

    How do I address a magistrate judge?

    Address block: “The Honorable <Full name>, United States Magistrate Judge”. Greeting: “Dear Judge <Last name>,”.

    How do I end a letter to a judge?

    Use “Respectfully,” or “Respectfully submitted,” followed by your handwritten signature, your printed name and your contact details.

    Last reviewed 2026-09-28. This page is general information, not legal advice. It follows published guidance from federal defender offices and federal courts, including:

    How we use these sources and test our letters: about CharacterLetter.com.