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Character letter for a DUI: sample letter to the judge

DUI letters have their own rules: acknowledge that other people were put at risk, and focus on what has changed since — treatment, sobriety, and how the person gets around now.

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The sample letter

All names and details below are fictional.

Dear Judge Carter,

My name is Rebecca Stone. I am an elementary school librarian in Boise, Idaho, and I have known Nathan Price for nine years through our church, where we both help run the Wednesday youth program.

I understand that driving after drinking put other people on the road at risk, and so does Nathan. He has never once suggested to me that it was not a big deal. He has said the opposite, and I believe he means it.

For as long as I have known him, Nathan has been the adult the teenagers in our program trust. When one of our students lost her mother two years ago, Nathan and his wife made sure she had a ride to every practice and a place to go on the evenings she did not want to be alone.

Since his arrest Nathan completed an alcohol assessment and the classes that were recommended, attends AA meetings every week, and has not had a drink. He has stopped driving altogether and rides with me or his wife to every church event and to work.

I respectfully ask the Court to consider the person Nathan is and the steps he has already taken. Thank you for your time and attention.

Respectfully,

Rebecca Stone
(208) 555-0133

Why this letter works

  • The risk is named. The second paragraph acknowledges danger to others — the single most important line in a DUI letter.
  • No arguing about the stop or the test. The letter never mentions blood-alcohol levels, the traffic stop, or “only a couple of drinks.”
  • Sobriety steps, specifically. Assessment, classes, weekly meetings and not drinking are concrete and checkable.
  • Transportation. Showing how the person gets around without driving answers a question the judge is already asking.

Tips for your own letter

  • Never question the breath or blood test, the officer, or the stop.
  • Don’t write “it was just a mistake” or “nobody got hurt” — it reads as minimizing.
  • Mention treatment, meetings, or classes only if they are actually happening.
  • If the person has stopped driving or uses an ignition interlock, say so.

What never to put in the letter

  • That the person is innocent, or anything about the evidence.
  • Blame for the victim, the police, or anyone else.
  • A request for a specific sentence, unless the attorney asks for it.
  • Private details: addresses, dates of birth, account numbers, children’s names.

More sample letters

Write yours in about 3 minutes

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

1 · About you
2 · Quick facts
3 · One story
4 · Your letter
Who are you to them?
What is the case about? (pick the closest — "Not sure" is fine)
What are they like? (we picked the most common — change freely)
What have they done since the arrest? (judges care about this)
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)
Tell one short, true moment that shows who they are. (optional — this is what makes judges pay attention)
Please only write what really happened. Don't write about the case itself — we'll handle the wording.

What we did for you

    Full letter, Word + PDF download, 3 tone rewrites, and step-by-step instructions for sending it. Your private link: save this link.

    Questions people ask

    Is a character letter useful for a first-offense DUI?

    It can be, especially when it shows what the person has already done since the arrest. Ask the attorney whether letters are being submitted.

    Should the letter mention the blood alcohol level?

    No. Leave the facts of the case to the attorney.

    Last reviewed 2026-09-28. Based on published guidance from federal public defender offices, federal district courts and criminal defense attorneys. This page is general information, not legal advice.