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Use "The Honorable" before the judge's full name on the envelope and in the address block, then open with "Dear Judge [Last Name]". Include the case name and number so the letter reaches the right file. And if your letter is about a pending case, copy the other side: judges generally will not read one-sided letters about matters before them.
This is general information, not legal advice.
| Where | How to write it | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Envelope and address block | The Honorable [First Name] [Last Name] | Dropping "The", or writing "Honorable Judge" (the title is redundant once "Honorable" is there) |
| Salutation | Dear Judge [Last Name]: | "Dear Honorable Smith" or "Dear Sir/Madam" |
| Spoken address | Your Honor | Using "Your Honor" in a written letter |
| References in the body | "the Court" | Addressing the judge as "you" when discussing a ruling |
The split that confuses people: "Your Honor" is how you address a judge out loud in the courtroom; in writing, the salutation is "Dear Judge [Last Name]." For magistrate judges, justices of the peace, and administrative law judges, "Dear Judge" still works. When you refer to a decision in the body of the letter, "the Court" reads as more respectful than "you."
The case name and case number, placed in a "Re:" line right under the salutation. Without them, court staff may have no idea which file your letter belongs to, and it can sit unassigned. Below that, include your full name, mailing address, and phone number so the court can reach you, and state plainly what you are asking for.
Keep it short. Judges and their staff read an enormous amount of mail, and a one-page letter that states its request in the first paragraph travels much further than a long narrative. Facts first, background second, request stated clearly.
This is the rule that surprises people. Judges generally cannot consider private, one-sided communications about a case before them. The principle is called the rule against ex parte communication, and it exists so that no party gets a secret hearing. If you mail the judge a letter about your pending case without copying the other side, the judge will typically not read it. The letter may be returned to you, disclosed to the other party, or placed in the file where the other side sees it anyway.
The fix is simple: send a copy to the other party (or their lawyer) at the same time you write the judge, and note it at the bottom of your letter with a "cc:" line naming everyone who received a copy. Even better, file the letter with the court clerk as a formal submission instead of mailing it to chambers: that puts it on the record properly. When the stakes are real, an hour of a lawyer's time before you write is cheaper than months spent undoing a misstep.
Mail it to the courthouse, addressed to the judge's chambers: never to a home address, which you shouldn't seek out. Court websites publish mailing addresses for each judge or division, and the clerk's office can confirm the right one if you're unsure. Use the court's published address even when you know the judge's name: chambers mail is screened and routed by staff, and that's the channel the court expects.
Yes, for courts in the US and Canada. Describe the letter to your AI assistant, include the case name and number in the text, approve the exact quoted price, and it's printed and mailed first-class to the courthouse address you provide. The double-window envelope shows the courthouse address through the front window and your return address through the other, which is exactly the format chambers mail expects.
Ready to mail it? Send your letter with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it is printed and mailed.
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