
What if I have medical issues or have been going to counselling?
if they know about any negative impacts that a conviction will have on your future, if a Spent Conviction Order is not made. why the writer thinks you are unlikely to commit a similar offence again, and. The character references should include the right things mentioned above, and also say: If you are applying for a Spent Conviction Order when you are being sentenced, it can be very helpful to provide a couple of character references to support your application. What if I'm applying for a Spent Conviction Order? suggest what specific penalty or outcome you should or should not receive. try to make excuses for what you did or make guesses about why you behaved that way, or. blame the victim or other people for what happened. say that you did not commit the offence. It should be typed or neatly hand written. Your reference should be addressed to the Presiding Magistrate (or Presiding Judge if you are in the District or Supreme Court). explain why the person believes your behaviour is out of character, based on what they know about you. say that the writer is aware of why you are in court (what you have been charged with), and. explain how the writer knows you, for how long, and why they think you are a good person. identify who is providing the reference. be written recently, specifically for your court appearance. What should a character reference say?Ī single page is long enough for a reference. The character reference should: But a short letter from your employer can still be useful to show the court that you are currently working and can act responsibly.įamily members can also provide references to help explain what problems you might have in your personal life and to show the court that you have their support in trying to turn things around. This could be a respected member of the community, past or present employers, teachers, doctors, priests or church leaders, sports coaches, people involved in running a club or association, or even family friends and neighbours.Īn employer might not be able to say much about your character, other than what they know from how you behave at work. the person has known you for a long time. they are written by someone with good standing or in an important position in the community, and. Who can provide a character reference to be used in court?Ĭharacter references are most helpful when:
what to include if you need a letter from a doctor or counsellor.what a reference should (and should not) include, and.
This information will help you if you need to collect character references to use in court.