Write to the Judge

Why do this?

Many relatives and friends of the accused tend to feel helpless when they see them going through the justice system. Writing to the judge is a way of allowing the relatives and friends to feel that they are actually heard and it is a way to help the accused.

In a court case most accused people have character witnesses from employers, social workers, and probation officers etc. This enables the judge to get a professional view of the accused, but it does not allow the judge to see what part the accused plays in his or her own everyday family life. This is where your letters can actually help your family member.

When you write to the judge, you have your chance to tell him/her how your loved one lives their everyday life within the family unit and in what ways you, as a family, may be affected by any future conviction. Despite media perception judges are compassionate, and they do read your letters, so please keep writing them.

By kind permission we have been able to copy such a letter from one of our clients to enable you to see an example of the things that can be written.

"Your Honour,

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this letter, it means an awful lot to me.

 

My son will be standing before you on Monday 21st February 2000 and I feel that I must speak on his behalf. I am his mother and know him very well.

 

He is before you on motoring charges and has sworn to me that it will never happen again, I believe him as I have known him all his life and this is completely out of character for him.

 

He has not had an easy life losing two fathers, but he has always been very thoughtful and considerate towards me. I am disabled and my son has done an awful lot for me, he has cleaned, cooked, and shopped for me all without complaint. I couldn't wish for a better son.

 

I know what he has done is wrong, but so does he, this is the first time he has been in trouble of this magnitude, and I really don't believe that he will do it again. On New Years Eve he had no intention of driving, he had arranged for his girlfriend and himself to stay the night at a friend's house. Unfortunately he and his girlfriend ended up having a row, and this caused him to go out of control, as he really loves this girl very much and thought that he was losing her. They have resolved their problems and she is standing by him as are the rest of the family.

 

We know what he has done is serious but we are still with him and he has our full support whatever the verdict may be. My son is normally a very caring, thoughtful, well-mannered lad, liked and respected by all whose paths he has crossed.

 

There is not really much more I can say, I just hope that you will take into consideration the hardship it will cause his family if you decide to sentence him to prison. We are all willing to help him through this, no matter what the outcome may be.

 

By the way, my son has had a firm offer of a full time job at the end of March, even though they know he will lose his licence, and it is in the motor mechanics trade.

 

I hope sincerely that this will be of help to you when you finally decide what sentence to give him.

  

Yours faithfully,

  

The mother.