Chief Judge | Senior Judge

How to Address the Chief Judge
How to Address a Senior Judge
of a United States Federal Court

—-Envelope or address block of an email:
—-—-The Honorable
—-—-(Full name)
—-—-Chief Judge
—-—-(Name of Court)
—-—-(Address)
——–—-—-or
——–—-The Honorable (Full name)
——–—-Chief Judge
——–—-(Name of Court)
——–—-(Address)

——–The Honorable
—-—-(Full name)
—-—-Senior Judge
—-—-(Name of Court)
—-—-(Address)
——–—-
or
——–—-The Honorable (Full name)
——–—-Senior Judge
——–—-(Name of Court)
——–—-(Address)

—-Letter salutation:
—-—-Dear Judge (surname):

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

The thing to remember is – all judges are addressed in writing as the Honorable (Full Name) and addressed orally and in a salutation as Judge (Surname). Chief judge and senior judge are roles they fill; not ranks they hold.

At times someone may orally use Chief Judge (Name) and Senior Judge (Name) when it’s useful to emphasize their office for some reason.

And you will hear in the media the office holders referred to by reporters as Chief Judge (Name) and Senior Judge (Name) to clarify who said what. But neither of these is used in writing as a formal form of address.   How to Address the Chief Judge   

—-Conversation:
—-—-Judge (surname)

—-Direct address in the courtroom:
—-—-Your Honor *

His Honor, Her Honor Your Honor
Your honor is an oral form of address used in conversation with a presiding official. Both a judge in his or her courtroom and the mayor in his or her city may be addressed as Your Honor. Neither a visiting judge in another judge’s courtroom nor a former mayor are addressed as Your Honor.

—-—-—-— From: Honor & Respect by Robert Hickey

– Robert Hickey  H

Related Posts:
Couples: Private Citizens
Couples: Christian Clergy
Couples: Rabbis
Couples: Military
Couples: U.S. Officials
Couples: Same Sex

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.)  The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them.
___What I don’t cover on this site are many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions, etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—-#1)  At right on desktops, at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones, is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—-#2)  If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.)  Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—-#3)  If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question  – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey 

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”