Character Reference for Court
Writing a character reference for court for a friend, relative or employee? Answer plain questions in your own words, most of them by completing a sentence, and get a letter to the court ready to sign. You read it and can change the wording before you download it.
What this letter does
- Sets your answers out as a letter to the court, addressed the way the legal aid guides describe.
- Uses your own words: most questions ask you to complete a sentence, and your answer goes into the letter as you wrote it.
- Says that you know about the charge, and that you know the reference will be given to the court at sentencing.
- Asks for things you have seen yourself: work, family or caring roles, community involvement and steps taken since.
- Stops before payment if the person is pleading not guilty, or if the charge is a sexual offence.
- You read the letter, change the wording if you need to, confirm it and download it to sign. Nothing is sent to anyone else.
What we will ask you
Most questions ask you to complete a sentence. Your answer goes into the letter as you write it, so write it the way you would say it to the court, and only about things you know yourself.
- First, has the person you are writing about pleaded guilty, or been found guilty?
- What type of charge is it?
- Which court is the sentencing hearing in?
- Which state or territory is the court in?
- What is the court's name and location?
- When is the sentencing hearing? Skip this if you do not know yet.optional
- What is the full name of the person you are writing about?
- What is your full name? It goes at the top of the letter and under your signature.
- What is your email address? We save your answers as you go and send the finished reference here.
- Complete this sentence: 'I am ___.' Give your occupation.
- Are you writing as an employer, or for an organisation? If so, what is its name? It goes at the top of the letter. Skip this if not.optional
- What is your suburb and state, or your full address? It goes at the top of the letter.
- What is your phone number? The letter says the court can contact you on it to confirm what you wrote.
- How long have you known the person? Complete this sentence: 'I have known the person ___.'
- How do you know the person? Complete this sentence: 'I am the person's ___.'
- How often do you see the person? Complete this sentence: 'I see or speak to the person ___.'
- Complete this sentence: 'I know that the person has been charged with ___.'
- Please confirm: 'I know this reference will be given to the court, and read by the magistrate or judge and the prosecutor at sentencing.'
- Do you know of any other offences on the person's record? If so, complete this sentence: 'I also know that the person has previously been convicted of ___.' Skip this if you do not know of any.optional
- Complete this sentence: 'In day-to-day life, the person ___.'
- Tell us one thing you have seen the person do yourself that shows the kind of person they are. Complete this sentence: 'One example I saw myself was when ___.'
- A second example, if you have one. Complete this sentence: 'Another example I saw myself was when ___.'optional
- Complete this sentence: 'Since being charged, the person ___.'
- What steps has the person taken since? For example a course, counselling, an apology or paying for damage. Write it as you would in the letter, and only include what you know yourself or have seen proof of. Add dates if you know them.optional
- Complete this sentence: 'If the person is convicted (or loses their licence), ___.'optional
- Is there anything else, in your own words, that you would want the court to know about the person?optional
- Please confirm: 'Everything I have written is true and from my own knowledge.'
- Please confirm: 'I have not suggested a penalty.'
- Please confirm: 'I am 18 or over.'
- You read it and confirm it first
- Unlimited edits
- All Australian states and territories
- Stripe secured · 256-bit encrypted
The referee writes it, in their own words
The questions are for the person writing the reference: a friend, relative, employer, neighbour or coach who knows the person going to court. The court rules and guidelines on written evidence ask for it in the writer's own words and from their own knowledge.
If you are the person going to court, send this page to your referee so they can answer the questions themselves.
The service is for sentencing in a Local, Magistrates, District or County Court, after a guilty plea or a finding of guilt. It stops before payment if the person is pleading not guilty, if the charge is a sexual offence, or if the matter is in a family law court, where evidence from another person is usually given by affidavit.
How the letter is set out in each state and territory
Every letter says who the referee is, how long and how they know the person, that they know about the charge, and that they know the reference will be given to the court at sentencing. These are the differences.
New South Wales
Addressed to "The Presiding Magistrate" and the court. The Local Court and the District Court follow Supreme Court Practice Note SC Gen 23, so every New South Wales reference includes the statement it requires about how the reference was written. Your letter is set out from your answers word for word. Legal Aid NSW suggests taking the original and three copies to court.
Victoria
Addressed to "The Presiding Magistrate" and the court location, or "The Presiding Judge" in the County or Supreme Court, then "Your Honour". The Magistrates' Court asks the referee to state they know the reference will be relied on at the sentencing hearing, and your letter does.
Queensland
Addressed to "The Presiding Magistrate" and the court, or "The Presiding Judge" in the District or Supreme Court, opening "Your Honour", with the same core content every legal aid guide describes.
Western Australia
Addressed to "The Presiding Magistrate", or "The Presiding Judge" in the District or Supreme Court. Legal Aid WA says a reference should be written for this court appearance and kept to one page if possible.
South Australia
Your letter is set out from your answers word for word. In South Australia a written reference is usually received only with the prosecutor's consent, unless the referee gives evidence in court (Law Handbook, Legal Services Commission of South Australia).
Tasmania
Addressed to "The Presiding Magistrate" and the court, with the same core content every legal aid guide describes.
Australian Capital Territory
Addressed to "The Presiding Magistrate", ACT Magistrates Court, opening "Your Honour". Legal Aid ACT says the referee's occupation and contact details must be included, and that a reference for a less serious offence, such as drink or drug driving, should be no longer than one page.
Northern Territory
Addressed to "The Sentencing Judge", as Legal Aid NT describes. The referee should know about, and mention, any previous convictions for the same type of charge.
What a reference should not include
- A suggested penalty. That is for the magistrate or judge to decide.
- Saying the person did not do it, or that they did not mean it.
- Excuses, blaming others or the victim, or detail of the offence.
- Comments about the law, the police or the court.
- "Out of character" or "it will not happen again", if there are similar past offences.
- Anything that is not true. Legal Aid WA says it is a serious criminal offence for a referee to mislead the court.
While you answer, we point out words that often cause these problems, such as a penalty or "not his fault". You decide whether to change them. Nothing you write is changed for you.
From your answers to a letter ready to sign
Answer the questions
Complete each sentence in your own words, about what you know and have seen yourself. Then confirm that it is true, that you have not suggested a penalty, and that you are 18 or over.
Your letter is set out
Your answers are placed into a one-page letter to the court, addressed and laid out for your state or territory. Usually ready about 5 minutes after payment.
Read, change, confirm, sign
Read the letter on your dashboard and change any wording yourself (unlimited edits). Confirm it, download the PDF, then sign it by hand. Nothing is sent to anyone else.
Ready to write the reference?
No card required until the end. No account needed to start.
Start the Character Reference — $49 →About character references for court
Who should the reference be addressed to?
In a Local Court or Magistrates Court, "The Presiding Magistrate" and the court location, then "Your Honour". In the District, County or Supreme Court, "The Presiding Judge". In the Northern Territory, Legal Aid NT says "The Sentencing Judge". Sources: Legal Aid NSW, Victoria Legal Aid, Legal Aid NT.
Does it need to be a statutory declaration?
The legal aid guides describe a signed and dated letter, and none of them asks for a statutory declaration. Sources: Legal Aid NSW, Victoria Legal Aid, Legal Aid WA.
Does the referee have to mention the charge?
Yes. Every guide says the referee should state that they know about the charge. In Victoria, the Magistrates' Court also asks the referee to state that they know the reference will be relied on in court at the sentencing hearing. Every Claim Done reference includes both. Sources: Legal Aid NSW, Magistrates' Court of Victoria.
Can the reference say what penalty the person should get?
No. The legal aid guides say the penalty is for the magistrate or judge to decide, so the questions do not ask for one and you confirm that you have not suggested one. Sources: Victoria Legal Aid, Legal Aid NSW, Magistrates' Court of Victoria.
Can a family member write one?
Yes. Family members are listed as referees, and they can tell the court about the person's circumstances. References from people more independent of the person may carry more weight. Sources: Legal Aid ACT, Legal Aid WA.
How long should it be?
One page if possible. Sources: Legal Aid WA, and Legal Aid ACT for less serious offences such as drink driving.
Why does a New South Wales reference include a statement about how it was written?
The Local Court and the District Court of New South Wales follow Supreme Court Practice Note SC Gen 23, which requires every character reference to include that statement. A New South Wales reference from Claim Done is set out from your answers word for word, and it includes the statement. Sources: Supreme Court Practice Note SC Gen 23, paragraph 13; Local Court Practice Note of 12 January 2026.
Who answers the questions?
The person writing the reference (the referee), in their own words. If you are the person going to court, send this page to your referee so they can answer the questions themselves.
How long does it take?
There are 29 short questions, and most answers are a line or two. The letter is usually ready about 5 minutes after payment.
Can I change the letter before I use it?
Yes. You read the full letter on your dashboard first. You can change the wording yourself (as often as you like), then you confirm it and download the PDF to sign and date. Nothing is sent to anyone else.
Can this be used in South Australia?
Yes. In South Australia a written reference is usually received only with the prosecutor's consent, unless the referee gives evidence in court. Source: Law Handbook, Legal Services Commission of South Australia.
Claim Done is not a law firm.
A reference in your own words, ready to sign.
Answer the questions, read the letter, change anything you need to, and download it. No card required until the end.
Start the Character Reference — $49 →