Writing Character Letters for Court
Music is subjective, right? Why on earth would I care to write something that lets you, Pop ‘stache reader, know about writing character letters for Court? Well, I liken a good character letter to a catchy tune, or even a favorite jam. Perhaps my love of music will compel you to read the below without abandoning ship. A good character letter answers some musical questions you might recall from your 10th grade music class. So let’s hear it. What is a character letter of good make-up, and how would I know it when I hear (read) it? Simultaneously speaking to all involved in the process, namely the Judge, jury, prosecutor, public defender, plaintiff and defense attorney. Hitting the right pitch is key.
One would not want the letter to come off as over the top. The letter should be realistic, and factual. It should list the impact of whatever crime is at issue, and attempt to describe the effect on the victim. Hitting the right chord also means getting to the point quickly, and not dragging out a tune. Prospective music teachers are advised to have their students play the first few notes of whatever song they will be teaching, and then sing the words of that initial passage. This was a pet peeve of my piano teacher, many years ago. In the same vein, your character letter should get to the point so that it flows nicely, without much difficulty, and in a way that the singer would approve of (or the Judge).
According to the in depth guide on how to write a good character letter for court, the Judge, jury, and attorneys involved in the case will be the audience of your letter, and not your precocious next door neighbor, whose advice would otherwise go unasked. A good character letter should be easy to read, in tune, and easy to follow. Just like a song needs to have a good melody to stay in the head of the listener, a good character letter needs to be natural. Lost in the sauce. Run on sentence. Too many in a row. Bad transitions. No beginning, middle, or end. A musician writing such a letter might think of St. Vincent, Billy Bragg, Mason Jennings, My Morning Jacket, Death Cab For Cutie, and Adam Richman (Yes, I am old enough to have seen Adam in a few local bands).
