Abbess,
    Christian Orthodox       
Abbot,
    Christian Orthodox        
Accountant        
Acting Official       
Adjutant General     
Admiral, Rear         
Alderman         
Archbishop, Catholic        
Archbishop,
   Christian Orthodox        
Archdeacon, Episcopal        
Archimandrite        
Architect
Archpriest        
Ambassador to the U.S.
   from a foreign country      
Ambassador of the U.S.        
American Indian Chief        
Assemblyman
   U.S., State / or           
   Assemblywoman            
Associate Justice,
   U.S. Supreme Court          
Associate Justice of a
   State Supreme Court
Attorney         
Attorney General           
Attorney, U.S.         
Australian Officials    

Baron, Baroness           
British Officials,
   Royalty, Nobility     
Brother, Catholic         
Brother,
   Christian Orthodox          
Bishop, Catholic            
Bishop,
   Christian Orthodox         
Bishop, Episcopal        
Board Member     
Boy        
Brigadier General       

Canadian Officials    
Candidate    
Captain,
   USA, USAF, USMC     
Cardinal             
Chairman
    Federal Reserve      
Chaplain in the
    Armed Services        
Chaplain of Congress          
Chargé d’Affaires         
Chief Executive Officer 
Chief Judge          
Chief Justice,
      U.S. Supreme Court 
Chief Justice, of a State
      Supreme Court             
Chief of Police          
Chief of Staff     
Chief Operating
   Officer          
Child            
Clergy & Religious
    Officials     
Colonel, "Honorary"
     Kentucky, or other
     state/organization      
Colonel, USA, USAF,
    or USMC     
Congressman, U.S.              
Congresswoman, U.S.   
Consul and or
   Consul General              
Commissioner       
Corporate Executive         
Councilman
    Councilwoman      
Counselor (Diplomat)      
Countess     
Couples     
Curator        

Dalai Lama          
Deacon         
Dean, academic            
Dean, clergy            
Deceased Persons        
Delegate, U.S., State            
Dentist             
Deputy Chief of Mission      
Deputy Marshal          
Designate, Elect,
    Pro Tempore      
Diplomats      
District Attorney           
Doctor of Dentistry           
Doctor of Medicine              
Doctor of
   Veterinary Medicine          
Doctor of Osteopathy            
Doctor, Other Disciplines     
Doctorate        
Doctorate, honorary      

Earl            
Elect, Designate
   Pro Tempore      
Eminence     
Etiquette    
Excellency           

Fiancee      
First, Second,
   Third, etc.        
First Lady, Spouse
   of the President of
   the United States 
First Lady, Member
    of Her   
    White House Staff      
First Lady, Spouse
   of a Governor
   or Lt. Gov.    
First Lieutenant   
Flag Protocol     
Former Officials    
Freeholder       

Geshe
General
    USA, USAF, USMC
Girl
Governor, Lieutenant 
Governor, Lt., Spouse   
Governor, Tribal Council          
Governor, U.S. State       
Governor, Former    
Governor
    Spouse of     
Governor's Staff,
    Member of      
Governors, Board of 

Honorable, The          
Honorary degrees    
Honourable, The       

Indian Chief         
Inspector General    
Introductions       
Invitations  
   Writing &  
   Addressing  
Invitations
    Military:
    Writing &
    Addressing

Judge, former     
Judge of US City or
        US Count     
Judge, US Federal            
Junior, Senior,
    I, II, III, etc.       
Justice, Associate
     Federal
     Supreme Court
Justice, Associate
     State
     Supreme Court

King     
Knight      

Late, The
   (deceased persons)        
Lawyer      
Lieutenant      
Lieutenant Colonel,     
   USA, USAF, USMC          
Lieutenant General,
   USA, USAF, USMC      
Lieutenant Governor         

How to Address / Forms of Address
U.S. State Officials
Questions & Answers, Frequently Asked Questions, and Blog

How Do I Address an Acting Governor?          
How Do I Address an former state official?          

How Do I Address a Lieutenant Governor ?      
How Do I Address a State Cabinet Secretary?                     
How Do I Address a State Attorney General?                     
Do I Address an Attorney General as "General"?                     
How Do I Address a State Treasurer?        
How Do I Address a State Legislator?                     

How Do I Address the Wife of a Governor?     
How Do I Address the Wife of a Governor Who Uses      
     A Different Last Name Than Her Husband ?      
How Do I Address the Girlfriend of a Governor?     
How Do I Address the Wife of a Lieutenant Governor?      

How Do I Address a Kentucky Colonel?          

How Do I Address a State Judge?        
How Do I Address a Magistrate?         
How to Address a Clerk of a Circuit Court?         
How to Address a Friend of the Court?     
 

Looking for Joint Forms of Address? (Two Names in the Address)
Link to Q&A just on Joint Forms of Address

How Do I Address a Former Official?
Link to Q&A /Blog just on Former Officials  (not Military)

All about The Honorable
Link to Q&A just on officials in the U.S. addressed as The Honorable

How to Address a former State Official? 
        How is a former state senator addressed in Pennsylvania?
        -- Kevin Lambert

Dear Mr. Lambert:
       A three-part answer.
       1) All states are the same.
       2) Former state senators may continue to be socially addressed as Senator (Name) at their preference.
       This follows the rule that if you held an office which had a special honorific that many office holders held at the same time (there were many senators when he was a senator) you may continue to be socially addressed in the style of the office, after leaving office. Other offices following this rule include: ambassador, justice, judge, general and all the military ranks.
       3) But to address him/her as Senator (Name) as an office holder of a subsequent position/job/office would be improper ... because it might seem he or she still held some status of their former office ... that his or her actions are in some way supported by the state government.
       For example, a former senator would not be addressed as Senator (Name) if he was a practicing attorney-at-law .... or if he or she was a candidate for mayor of the city. 
       The fact that he or she was a state senator would be include in a bio, but he or she would be officially addressed as Mr./Ms. (Name).
       -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Kentucky Colonel #1?
     Greetings! I just wish to find out if the following is true:
     "In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, commissioned Kentucky Colonels are considered members of the Governor's Staff and his honorary aides-de-camp, and as such are entitled to the style of 'Honorable' as indicated on their commission certificates. The commission and letters patent granted by the Governor and Secretary of State bestowing the title of Kentucky Colonel refers to the honoree as 'Honorable First Name Last Name'."
     I was commissioned by the former Gov. Paul E. Patton in 2003, but it appears that no one knows if it is okay to use the "honorable" title. It would be great if you could clear some clouds for us and I'll submit the finding to the board of our order. Thanks.
           -- Not Colonel Sanders

Hi NCS:
    In protocol there are always local rules to which a community abides -- and as one explores adjacent realms, the "new rules" are those on which the different communities mutually agree.
    In Kentucky if a Kentucky governor says as an appointed office holder you are entitled to be addressed as "Honorable (First Name) (Last Name)" -- you are entitled to be so addressed in Kentucky.  (Note that this is Honorable rather than The Honorable. I don't know why, but do know the certificates naming one a Kentucky Colonel are made out as simply Honorable (Full Name))
    Outside Kentucky (this is the "exploring the adjacent realms" part), The Honorable is universally used to officially address those who are elected to public office, or who are appointed go their office by The President of the United States and approved by the U.S. Senate. So an elected mayor of any city in Kentucky would be officially addressed as The Honorable  inside and outside of Kentucky, as would The U.S. Secretary of Defense.  But as a Kentucky Colonel you are not officially Honorable (Full Name) in outside of Kentucky ... say ... in Ohio or Tennessee.
    You write the appointment was to be "members of the Governor's Staff and his honorary aides-de-camp"  by a former governor. So what happen when he is out of office? The rule is "if it's not a one-at-a-time position, you can keep on using the title" ... so the form of address would continue for the rest of your life.  
    Many organizations have honorary positions ... many universities give out honorary degrees -- similarly falling into the category of personal honors and distinctions.  An honorary doctorate is wonderful .... but is perhaps not pertinent if you are applying to join a university faculty.
    At The Protocol School of Washington we always laugh that there is no "protocol police" to make sure you are correctly addressed  -- but I those who share your interest in your office will honor you and address you as " Honorable."
            -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a State Treasurer?
        Our office is currently debating the use of “Honorable”. We all agree that Treasurers elected directly by the people receive the title honorable and are entitled to it even after leaving office. What we are not clear about is whether or not those state treasurers (or similar fiscal officers) either appointed by the governor (some requiring Senate confirmation, some not) or elected by their state legislators can use the title. Can you please help us?
        -- J. L. @ National State Treasurers Association

Dear JL:
        Your question addresses an interesting issue: the application of the generally accepted rules are relatively easy to apply in Washington, but as practiced at state and municipal levels, the forms become less clear.
       At a federal level, some the highest appointed officials are "The Honorable": Appointed by the President / approved by the Senate.  And at a state level, it is my observation that states DO address their cabinet level officials as "The Honorable."
       With the variety of paths to office you mention, elected, appointed & confirmed, and simply appointed ... and that the precedence/stature of a particular office varies from state to state .... you will need to contact the individual treasurers to find out what is their state's tradition.
        -- Robert Hickey

Dear Wanda:
    If the clerk was elected to office then he or she is The Honorable. Address the letter:
         The Honorable (full name)
             Clerk of the Circuit Court
                 (Name of Court, e.g., 22nd Judicial Circuit of (State))
                      (Address)
   Open the letter with the salutation:
         Dear Mr./Ms. (Surname):
                           -- Robert Hickey

Dear Ms. Stanley:
    Magistrates in every jurisdiction I know of are "The Honorable."  They are judges of Magistrate Courts.
    A general magistrate is an attorney appointed by a judge to take testimony and recommend actions ... and is not a judge. "The Honorable" is used by those elected, those appointed to their positions by The President of the United States ... and by Judges however they become judges. I am unfamiliar with "general magistrates" ... I suggest you ask the "general magistrate" whether or not he or she is an "Honorable"  He or she will know.
    NOTE .... more correct than Honorable John Q. Smith ... would be ... The Honorable John Q. Smith.
               -- Robert Hickey

How Do I Address an Acting Governor?
    We don't have a Lieutenant Governor in New Jersey. When the Governor is away we have an Acting Governor.
    How do you go about introducing an Acting Governor? How about a former Acting Governor?
    Is the Acting Governor only the Acting Goveror when the elected Governor is out of state? Or is h or she introduced as an Acting Governor all the time?
                        -- FG, New Jersey
 
Hi FG in New Jersey:
    The role of Acting Governor is filled by the President of the New Jersey Senate.
    He or she is the Acting Governor when the elected Governor is out of state or incapacitated. New Jersey doesn't have the electe office "Lieutenant Governor" like many states do ... but beginning in 2010 that will change and there will be a Lieutenant Governor in New Jersey.
    When introducing the President of the Senate as the Acting Governor say: “May I present the Honorable (full name), Acting Governor of New Jersey.”
    Don’t directly address an Acting Governor as "Governor (name)". The rule is "address by rank, identify by office" -- so address as "Senator (name)" and identify as the Acting Governor.
    While he or she is not directly addressed as "Acting Governor (name)" one might refer to him or her as that in the third person. "Acting Governor (name) will be arriving in 20 minutes."
    A former Acting Governor is not addressed as such either ... because Acting Governor is a role ... not an office.  But you could note that the individual served as the acting governor at some point. "It is my pleasure to introduce The Honorable (full name), former President of the New Jersey Senate. Senator (last name) served as Acting Governor of New Jersey on numerous occasions during the (name of the elected Governor) administration.
                        -- Robert Hickey

How Do I Address a Judge?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
I have been asked to write a letter to a judge. Having been out of school a while, my skill is very rusty. Specifically, I need to know the salutation, how to address him in the body of the letter, and an appropriate closing with respect to his status.
    --- Roger Faust

Dear Mr. Faust:
    Address the envelope to the Judge as The Honorable (Full name).
    In the letter's address block use The Honorable (Full name).
    The salutation is Dear Judge (Surname):
    An appropriate closing would be Sincerely,
          -- Robert Hickey

How to Do You Address a Friend of the Court?
    How do you address the Friend of the Court?
                  -- Tom
Dear Tom:
    A Friend of the Court is a role, not an official office like an elected or appointed judge, sheriff, or member of a city council  ... all of which get special forms of address.
    Address using the formula for a private citizen: (Appropriate honorific) + (Their name) and simply then identify by (office) when identification is appropriate.
    Friend of the Court wouldn't be used before the name as an honorific.
    For example:
        In conversation: Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr./Pastor/etc. (name)
        In an introduction: Judge Wilson, may I present Mr./Ms./Dr./Pastor/etc. (name), who is a Friend of the Court ...
             -- Robert Hickey

How to Address State Legislators?
    Are state senators and state congressmen addressed as "the Honorable"?
         -- PJ in Lincoln Nebraska

Dear PJ:
     Yes ... anyone elected to a state legislature is addressed as The Honorable (full name).
                    -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Lieutenant Governor?
Lieutenant Governor? Lieutenant? Governor? 
   It has been said the Lieutenant Governor of a US state should be addressed as Governor just as a Lt. Colonel is addressed as Colonel.  People want to address the Lt. Gov. with the whole title of "Lieutenant Governor", however, that is very cumbersome.  Or should the person address simply be, "Mr. Jones"?
        -- Wondering

Dear Wondering:
    Addressing a lieutenant governor as Governor (name) is really going to displease the Governor of your state. There is only one Governor. 
     Actually, lieutenant governors don't have a special honorific for their office. Simply address him or her as Mr./Ms./etc. (name) ... and identify as the Lieutenant Governor of (state) as necessary.
    You might hear the Lieutenant Governor referred to as  "Lieutenant Governor Herbert" or "Lieutenant Governor Bell" in the media, but these are phrases used to identify these officials in a news story, not a direct forms of address.
         -- Robert Hickey