# Addressing the court
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 12, 2000, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811 "2000-02-12T13:31:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/1 "2000-02-12T13:31:00Z")
OK, Legal Eagles-
I have jury duty on Monday morning, and I have to tell the judge that I cannot serve. My husband is having surgery on Tuesday morning and I am responsible for bringing him there, worrying, bringing him home, and generally taking care of him. I have a letter from the hospital proving that he’s scheduled for surgery.
I plan on drafting a nice, polite letter this weekend to the court along with the letter from the hospital, in case they need it as proof that I can’t serve. How do I address the letter? I have no idea if it is a female or male judge, or anything else. Any ideas on wording or what I should say to the judge?
My sister just served and she said that one of the first things they did was ask for people with extenuating circumstances to come forward and speak to the judge, at which time they were excused.
Zette
PS- Before I get any lectures, this surgery was not an option and could not be rescheduled. I actually WANT to serve on a jury, so I’m quite disappointed.
* * *
Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high.
Not enough and you’re gonna die…
[Click here for some GOOD news for a change](http://www.binghamtonpress.com/binghamtonnews/local/Sanews5.html)[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)
---
### Author:  [@WillGolfForFood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillGolfForFood)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/2 "2000-02-12T14:57:00Z")
Don’t worry about the syntax - just tell them what’s going on and you should be fine.
---
### Author:  [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/3 "2000-02-12T15:12:00Z")
In person or in writing, the judge is appropriately addressed as “Your Honor.”
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/4 "2000-02-12T15:22:00Z")
make sure you put a return address and enough stamps.
* * *
and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe
---
### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/5 "2000-02-12T15:45:00Z")
more seriously, just tell the judge what you posted - this sort of thing pops up frequently, so the judge won’t fry you or anything. Good idea to take a copy of the letter from the hospital, and your letter.
Hope your husband’s surgery goes well and that you won’t have anything to worry about.
* * *
and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe
---
### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/6 "2000-02-12T15:47:00Z")
Thanks all, and Jti 🙂
He is having rotator cuff surgery- the last one he needs after having a serious motorcycle crash last summer. I believe he will be just fine- I just hope they don’t give me a hard time about jury duty.
Zette
* * *
Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high.
Not enough and you’re gonna die…
[Click here for some GOOD news for a change](http://www.binghamtonpress.com/binghamtonnews/local/Sanews5.html)[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)
---
### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/7 "2000-02-12T15:51:00Z")
by way of a p.s. - in most parts of Canada, you would address a superior court judge as “Your Lordship” or “Your Ladyship.”
* * *
and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe
---
### Author:  [@Bluepony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluepony)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/8 "2000-02-12T15:56:00Z")
I’ve found out that if reason and logic fail to excuse you from jury duty, then showing up dressed as your favorite cartoon character or Superhero will definitely impress the court. 😃
You can thank me later…
* * *
_…send lawyers, guns, and money…_
```
Warren Zevon
```
---
### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/9 "2000-02-12T16:04:00Z")
I figured that if by SOME chance I don’t get excused and then get picked, I’ll have someone call from the hospital for me every hour on the hour until they get sick of it.
I mean, a spouse having surgery is a good enough reason not to serve, isn’t it?
Zette
(Dusting off her “Bullwinkle” costume)
* * *
Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high.
Not enough and you’re gonna die…
[Click here for some GOOD news for a change](http://www.binghamtonpress.com/binghamtonnews/local/Sanews5.html)[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)
---
### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/10 "2000-02-12T16:46:00Z")
if the judge doesn’t let you go, just say “humph,” sit down, prominently open up your fresh copy of the National Enquirer, and say, something like, “At last! Someone’s telling the truth about the CIA and the cranial chip implants.”
trust me, you won’t get on the jury.
* * *
and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe
---
### Author:  [@Angkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angkins)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/11 "2000-02-12T17:13:00Z")
I have every confidence that you will have no problem being excused from jury duty.
Oh, and tell hubby good luck and get well soon!
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/12 "2000-02-12T17:14:00Z")
Since you are actually asking to be deferred for a specific event (rather than asking to be excused forever), I would think that showing up with the hospital letter (and a good estimate of when you _can_ be available) should get you off with no hassle.
* * *
Tom~
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### Author:  [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2000, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/13 "2000-02-12T17:30:00Z")
Zette, I see you are from New York, and being from New York, a lawyer, and just having served on jury duty, maybe I can help.
In New York (and I am in Manhattan, so things may be a little different in other counties), the ones who really control jury duty are the court clerks. I would recommend that you go to jury duty early (about a half hour before the time you are called for) and talk with the jury duty clerk about your situation. They are usually very experienced and helpful for people with legitimate reasons for postponing jury duty.
That being said, I would definately have a letter to the court about why you will be unable to serve on Tuesday. I would address it to the judge, even though the clerk will probably be the one who reads it. I would address it as follows:
The Judge Supervising Jury Selection
[XXX] County
[Street Address]
[City], New York [Zip]
Dear Judge:
[Text of letter]
```
Respectfully,
Zette [or your full name]
```
Good Luck
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### Author:  [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2000, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/14 "2000-02-13T06:04:00Z")
In answer to the more general question about how does one address a court, here is my answer based on my experience in New York (other jurisdictions may be more or less formal, and it is entirely different outside the U.S.).
First, in spoken address, in court, you would generally address the judge (let’s say Judge Jones) as “Your Honor”. Sometimes, people will address the judge as “Judge Jones” or even just “Judge,” but that’s much more informal, and some judges will get a little pissy about it.
Also, you should never call the judge “you” (as in “we don’t agree with the ruling, Your Honor, but we will comply with what _you_ have decided”). The judge should be referred to as “Your Honor” (“what _Your Honor_ has decided”). Alternatively, you can refer to the judge as “the Court” (“what _the Court_ has decided [because you represent the entire might and majesty of the Court, Your Honor, despite the fact that you’re only ruling against us because you’re in a pissy mood because I called you Judge rather than Your Honor]”).
Outside court, you will usually call the judge “Judge Jones,” or even just “Judge” (as I did when I interned for a judge). Note that if the jurist’s title is “Justice”, you would usually use “Justice Jones” if you add the name (though “Judge Jones” will usually get by), but you would call him or her “Judge” without using his or her last name.
If you know the judge socially, you can just call him “Bob”, particularly if you have incriminating pictures of him mooning the judicial conference.
In letters you would address them as follows:
The Honorable Robert Jones
Civil Court of the City of New York
111 Centre Street
New York, New York 10011
The salutation would be: “Dear Judge Jones:”. Some people are more formal and use the salutation “Honorable Sir:” though this has fallen out of favor as more women have become judges, because the corresponding salutation would be “Honorable Madam:”, which just seems like a phrase out of an off-color joke.
In the body of the letter you would still follow the rule of not calling the judge “you”. but rather refering to him or her “Your Honor”.
The signature would usually be “Respectfully,” rather than “Sincerely,” or “Very truly yours,”.
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### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/15 "2000-02-13T06:09:00Z")
Well, actually I knew how to say “Your Honor”, my problem is I don’t know either the gender or the name of the judge. My question is, what am I supposed to put in place of the name?
\*\* Some Judge Person \*\*
Supreme Court of the State of New York
111 Centre Street
New York, New York 10011
\*\* Some Judge Person \*\*
blah, blah,
Respectfully,
Zette
It’s the \*\* Some Judge Person \*\*
parts I’m unsure of.
## Thanks for all your advice 🙂
Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high.
Not enough and you’re gonna die…
[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)
---
### Author:  [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2000, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/16 "2000-02-13T06:51:00Z")
In Canada you call them “Your Lordship” or “Your Ladyship”??? Yikes!
Zette, Billdo has nailed it. Just address it as he suggested, “The Judge Supervising Jury Duty.” If you were in California I would tell you to address it to “The Presiding Judge,” but each state has its own way of doing things.
I actually am on good enough terms with several judges to call them by their first name, but NEVER, EVER in any professional situation. When he’s up there on the bench he is “Justice (Name)” or “Your Honor.” Even around the courthouse, if there are other people I don’t know around, that is how I will address him; it’s only “(first name)” in a truly informal setting.
I too am sure you will have no trouble postponing your jury service. Good luck to your husband.
-Melin
* * *
Siamese attack puppet – California
Still neglecting and overprotecting my children
---
### Author:  [@Nurlman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nurlman)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2000, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/17 "2000-02-13T01:33:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I’ve found out that if reason and logic fail to excuse you from jury duty, then showing up dressed as your favorite cartoon
> character or Superhero will definitely impress the court.
Not so. You might want to [check this out](http://www.shopus.com/~michael/adams/). Apparently dressing up in a Star Trek uniform won’t do it. At least in Arkansas. But then again, we know they do things differently down there.
---
### Author:  [@LordDenning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordDenning)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2000, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/18 "2000-02-13T03:18:00Z")
Re: Canada, superior court justices:
You address them as “my lord/lady”, you refer to them as “your/his lordship/ladyship”.
---
### Author:  [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2000, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/19 "2000-02-13T16:47:00Z")
For all of you in Commonwealth countries out there, I read somewhere (I think) that in Australia you address high court judges as My Lord or Your Lordship, but for some of the lower or local courts, you address the judge as Your Worship. Anyone know about this?
---
### Author:  [@Bluepony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluepony)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2000, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-the-court/13811/20 "2000-02-13T17:24:00Z")
Nurlman,
I did check out that sight. All I can say is “Yikes”. Thanks for providing another sign of the coming Apocalypse.
* * *
_…send lawyers, guns, and money…_
```
Warren Zevon
```
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