What is the character reference questionnaire form template?
Asked to write a character reference, most people freeze. They don't know what the court wants to hear, how formal to be, or whether they should mention the case at all. What arrives is often a warm but vague letter that says the person is "a good guy" and little else.
This questionnaire asks the questions a lawyer would want answered. Who the referee is and what they do. How they know the person and for how long. What they've actually seen of the person's character, with examples. Whether they know about the matter and whether it changes their view. Referees who know the person as their employer or manager also get a short work-history section: their job title, the person's role, dates of employment and work record.
Each completed reference is signed and saved as a PDF in your FileIt vault, so the legal team can gather several and review them together before deciding which to use.
- Best for
- Criminal defense, family and immigration lawyers, and the people supporting a client
- Filled in by
- A friend, relative, employer or community member
- Time to complete
- About 15 minutes
- Includes
- Referee details, relationship, employer work history, character observations, awareness of the matter, declaration and signature
Who uses a character reference questionnaire form?
- Defense lawyers collecting references before a sentencing hearing
- Immigration cases where good character must be shown
- Family court matters where a parent's character is in question
- Professional licensing or disciplinary hearings
- A client sharing one link with everyone who has offered to help
- Comparing several references side by side before choosing which to file
Questions on this character reference questionnaire form
28 questions over 4 pages · includes signature, conditional questions, multiple pages, consent checkbox.
1 About you
- Your full name*
- Email*
- Phone*
- Your address
- Your occupation*
- Do you have any criminal convictions yourself?
2 How you know them
- Name of the person you're writing about*
- How do you know them?* As their employer or manager · As a co-worker · As a friend · As a relative · Through a community, faith or volunteer group · In a professional role, such as teacher, coach or counselor
- Company or organisation* asked only when it applies
- Your job title* asked only when it applies
- Their job title or role* asked only when it applies
- They started working for you on asked only when it applies
- Do they still work for you? asked only when it applies
- Their last day asked only when it applies
- Their work record asked only when it applies
- How many years have you known them?*
- How often are you in touch? Most weeks · Every month or so · A few times a year · Rarely now
3 Their character
- Which of these describe them, in your experience? Honest · Reliable · Hard-working · Caring toward others · Calm under pressure · Takes responsibility · Generous with their time
- What have you seen of their character?*
- Their part in their family, work or community
- Have you seen them change or grow? (optional)
4 The matter & your signature
- Do you know about the matter before the court?* Yes, they've told me about it · I know some of it · No
- What do you understand the matter to be, and how did you learn about it? asked only when it applies
- Has knowing about it changed your view of them? asked only when it applies
- Would you be willing to be contacted by their lawyer, or to speak in court if asked?
- Declaration*
- Signature*
- Date*
The character reference questionnaire form, page by page
1 About you
The referee's name, email, phone, address and occupation, and whether they have any criminal convictions themselves, with help text noting that a yes doesn't stop them giving a reference.
2 How you know them
"Name of the person you're writing about" and "How do you know them?" Choosing "As their employer or manager" reveals the company, the referee's job title, the person's job title or role, when they started, whether they still work there (no asks for the last day) and their work record. Everyone answers "How many years have you known them?" and how often they're in touch.
3 Their character
A checklist of qualities, then "What have you seen of their character?" with help asking for real examples. Optional boxes cover their part in family, work or community life and any change or growth the referee has seen.
4 The matter & your signature
"Do you know about the matter before the court?" Any answer but no asks what they understand it to be and whether it changes their view. They say whether they could be contacted or speak in court, agree to a declaration that it's true and may be read by the court, then sign and date it.
Make the template yours
- Name the court or type of hearing in the cover text if it's always the same
- Remove the question about the referee's own convictions if you'd rather ask in person
- Add a question about the referee's professional standing, such as a license number, for formal hearings
- File references in the client's own vault folder
- Send the link to each referee from FileIt so you can see who has replied
- Change the qualities checklist to suit the case
Tips for a better character reference questionnaire form
- Ask the client to tell referees about the matter first — references from people who don't know are often given less weight
- Encourage examples over adjectives
- Read every reference before it goes anywhere; a well-meant one can criticise the court or the victim
- Turn the strongest answers into a formal letter if your court expects one
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
Each signed reference is filed as a PDF in the vault folder you choose and you get an email. The referee receives a copy of what they wrote.
When you send the form to named referees by email from FileIt, you can see who has opened it and who has replied, and the Responses table gathers every reference for the matter in one place.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Character reference questionnaire form: frequently asked questions
Is this character reference template free?
Yes. It's one of the templates in FileIt's Forms app, available on every plan, including free.
Do referees need a FileIt account?
No. They open the link, answer the questions and sign on screen.
Can the PDF be filed with the court as it is?
That depends on the court. Many lawyers use the answers to prepare a letter in the format their court expects.
Why does an employer get extra questions?
A reference from an employer usually covers the person's job and work record, and courts often find that helpful. The extra fields only appear for that answer.
Should a referee mention the case?
The form asks whether they know about it so the lawyer can judge. It's the lawyer's call how the reference is used.
Is this legal advice?
No. It's a template to help gather references. The lawyer advises on what's appropriate for the case.